Pourable Pizza – The Great Liquid Dough Experiment

I once made a mini-pizza using a crumpet. No, I’m not starting a limerick.  Anyway, I toasted it nice and crisp, topped it with sauce and cheese, and it really was not bad. So I thought, what if this was much thinner, and made from the same ingredients as pizza dough? After a few tests, this pourable pizza was born.

Besides being kind of fun to make, this method features a few nice perks. There’s no kneading required, nor do you have to roll/stretch/spin your dough into shape. While thick crust pizza is relative easy to form at home, few can pull off stretching the dough really thin, so this is a very easy way to achieve that.

Also, the great challenge with homemade pizza is the under-cooked crust bottom, and this method allows for that crispy, near-charred bottom you usually only get from a pizza oven. Once topped, I like to finish under the broiler, but a 500 F. oven will also do the job nicely.

Please note, I’m not trying to replace the classic method with this drippy dough, but rather offer a possibly easier-in-some-ways alternative for your next pizza night. And yes, this does work for making thicker crusts. I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 eight-inch pizzas:

3 cups (14 ounces by weight) *flour

2 cups warm water (105-110 F)

1 package dry active yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons honey

1 tablespoon olive oil 

Note: Like I said in the video, use a whisk attachment, not a dough hook! You can also simply whisk this by hand for 5 minutes. 

* I used something called double-zero flour or “00” flour, which is an Italian flour used for pasta and pizza making. It is very finely milled, and lovely to work with. If you can’t get or find, just use all-purpose.

Salami Bread – Fourteen Inches of Delicious Pizza-Related Serendipity

What started out as a frustrating attempt to test some pizza dough, turned into what we’re calling salami bread. This 14-inch long loaf of delicious serendipity was a revelation, and I didn’t even get to use it for it’s most obvious purpose…to make the world’s greatest Italian submarine sandwich.

As I mention in the video, I’m not even sure I’d do a meat sub with this, but instead may just load it up with lots of Italian cheeses, as well as fresh and pickled vegetables. Then I’d find a picnic, where I could sit back to soak in the sun, and the compliments.

There are hundreds of possible variations, so that’s going to be your homework. Why wait until the unlikely scenario of having pizza dough, but no toppings? Let’s be proactive. But no matter how you roll, and I really do hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for one salami bread:

12 to 16 ounce ball of pre-made pizza dough

8-10 slices salami or other similar meat

1/4 cup tomato sauce, or other crushed tomato product

freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano to cover

scattering of freshly chopped herbs, to taste

olive oil, as needed

- Bake at 400 F. for 25 to 30 minutes until browned and cooked through.

You’ve Entered the Calzone Zone

I’ve never been a huge fan of the calzone, and I assume most people that don’t eat their pizza crusts feel the same way. However, since this has been requested hundreds of times, I thought I’d put my personal feelings aside, and give the recipe a shot.

I call it a recipe, but it’s actually a technique, since the calzone's greatest feature is its ability to accept any combination of cheese, meat, and vegetables as a filling. Today, calzones are most commonly stuffed with the exact same toppings that go on a pizza, which, besides the crust issue, was one of my main problems with it. I mean, why not just fold a pizza in half, and call it a day?

So, I decided to do what I hear is a more traditional filling, featuring ricotta, fresh mozzarella, and ham. The result was as enjoyable, as it was surprising. It was almost, but not quite, lasagna-like. The extra crust didn’t bother me as much, and everything seemed to work together beautifully.

I decided to recommend our Wolfgang Puck dough recipe, because it's fast and easy, and features a nice lightly textured dough, but any prepared pizza dough will work nicely. 

Just be sure to bake this long enough. If you make these the same size, it’s going to take about 15 minutes at 500 F. Your calzone may look nicely browned at 10 minutes, and it will be tempting to take out, but the dough will still be raw. You really want to push this to the point of almost burning.

And what happens if you go too far, and it does burn? No problem. Just order a pizza and fold it in half. So, whether you’re already a calzone lover, or a reluctant skeptic like me, I really hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Calzones:

1 batch of our Wolfgang Puck pizza dough (get the recipe here), divided into 4 dough balls

8 slices prosciutto

2 cups ricotta, drained if necessary

4 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced thin, and drained on paper towel

1 1/2 cup finely diced smoked ham

freshly ground black pepper to taste

cayenne to taste

(note: before folding, I forgot to drizzle the top of the filling with a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, which I think would have been a nice touch.)

corn meal for the pan

2 cups marina sauce for dipping, optional
1 egg for egg wash
Parmesan cheese for dusting tops
- Bake at 500 F. for 15 minutes

Thin Crust Pulled Pork Pizza

Thin Crust Pulled Pork Pizza

Pizza night was extra special this week because of this collision of two of our family's all time favorites, thin crust pizza and pulled pork. Boy, was it ever delicious.

We had Apple BBQ Pulled Pork for dinner a couple of days beforehand and put the leftovers to good use in this terrific pizza. You can use your own favorite pulled pork recipe if you like or use one of our pulled pork recipes, whichever you prefer. If you have some of the leftover Apple BBQ Sauce form the original pulled pork meal, you can use that for the pizza or just go with the very simple tomato sauce that we have here.

You will need a pizza stone to properly cook this thin crust pizza to crispy perfection, so make sure it is well preheated for about a half hour before you bake the pizza. Mozzarella, provolone or Monterey Jack all are good choices for this pizza or even a combination of all three. I use cubes of cheese instead of grated because in the high heat of the oven, it can brown too quickly and easily. Keep the number of toppings to a minimum and in a single layer for best results and I guarantee this will be leftovers that absolutely nobody will complain about.


Pizza Dough

Makes Sufficient for six 12 to 14 inch thin crust pizzas or 4 thicker crust pizzas

• Approximately 6 cups 00 Tipo Flour (the recipe will work with all purpose flour)
• 1 1/2 tbsp instant yeast
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 2 ¼ cups lukewarm water
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (optional, omit for crispier crust)

Mix dry ingredients together except for two cups of the flour. Add the warm water and mix very well with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining flour a little at a time until a soft dough forms.

You may need to use a little more or a little less flour, just don't add so much that the dough gets too stiff. Dough that forms into a ball easily but remains soft and a little sticky to the touch is ideal. Remove to a floured breadboard or your counter top and knead for an additional 5 minutes. Allow dough to rest for 2 hours, covered in a warm place or until doubled in size. Knead again for 5- 10 minutes and split dough into 2 - 6 portions and allow to rest for 20 minutes before rolling or stretching your dough into the desired size.

NOTE: Although not completely essential, I always make my pizza dough a day ahead and cold proof it in the fridge overnight. To do this, immediately after the second kneading, when the dough is formed into balls, place it in a long plastic container that has been lined with parchment paper and then well dusted with flour. Cover and store in the fridge overnight. Allow the dough to come up to room temperature for 30-60 minutes before using it.

 Spicy Quick Pizza Sauce

• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 8 large ripe tomatoes diced
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 6 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp crushed chili sauce (or a pinch of chili flakes)
• salt and pepper to season

Saute the garlic in the oil over medium heat for just a minute before adding the tomatoes, brown sugar, chili sauce, salt, pepper. Continue to cook until the tomatoes soften and the compote reduces to a jam-like consistency. Add the balsamic vinegar in the final minute or two of cooking before serving. Let the sauce cool thoroughly before using it on the pizza.

Preparing the pizza for the oven.

Other than the pulled pork and cheese, use whatever toppings you think go well together. I make simple versions of this pizza mostly with just cheese and onion but this is a list of some of the toppings we have used.

Pieces of pulled pork
Pre-cooked bacon, crumbled
julienne red onion
julienne red peppers
pickled jalapeno peppers or banana peppers
Cheese: Use any combination you like mozzarella, parmasean or monteray jack cheese

Preheat your pizza stone in middle rack of your oven for half an hour at 450 degrees F.
Stretch or roll your pizza dough into rounds and place on a wooden peel that has been sprinkled with cornmeal. The cornmeal will allow the pizza to slide off the peel (I’ve even used a thin piece of cardboard in a pinch if you do not have a peel.) Make sure your pizza is sliding on the cornmeal base before adding your toppings. Spread pizza sauce over the crust plus a little cheese. Add desired toppings.This type of thin crust pizza cooks very fast (only 8 minutes in my oven) so a single layer of toppings is best. Resist the temptation to pile the toppings high on this particular pizza.

I use cheese that's cut into small cubes rater than grated because it stands up to the heat better in the high heat. Grated cheese may actually burn or brown too much at this heat.

Shake your peel to make sure the pizza is not stuck. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone, shaking it slightly in a back and forth motion as you slowly retract the wooden peel.

Bake for 7-10 minutes depending upon your oven. Bottom and top crust should be nicely browned. Allow pizza to sit for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Thin Crust Pulled Pork Pizza

Crispy Thin Crust Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Crispy Thin Crust Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Pizza night is always special at our house and a favorite meal for kids and adults alike. Crispy, thin crust pizza is everyone's  preference around here. We also use it for entertaining, letting guests top their own pizzas or cutting individual pizzas into small slices and serving them as hors d'ouevres.

The pizza sauce recipe is a hybrid tomato and barbecue sauce.  You can use a smoky BBQ sauce from the store or try this homemade version.

I love turning almost any pizza into a calzone. Here I used a half ball of dough, about 4 1/2 ounces, and rolled it out to about a 8 inch round. I then  added about half the amount of toppings that I would use on a pizza, keeping them on one half of the dough about an inch away from the edges. Pinch the edges together and roll and fold the edge of the semicircle toward the center to seal. Cut a couple of small slits in the top with the tip of a sharp knife and cook on a pizza stone as you would the pizza for up to 12 minutes.

Barbecue Chicken Calzone

Pizza Dough

Makes Sufficient for six 12 to 14 inch thin crust pizzas or 4 thicker crust pizzas

• Approximately 6 cups 00 Tipo Flour (the recipe will work with all purpose flour)
• 1 1/2 tbsp instant yeast
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 2 ¼ cups lukewarm water
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (optional, omit for crispier crust)

Mix dry ingredients together except for two cups of the flour. Add the warm water and mix very well with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining flour a little at a time until a soft dough forms.

You may need to use a little more or a little less flour, just don't add so much that the dough gets too stiff. Dough that forms into a ball easily but remains soft and a little sticky to the touch is ideal. Remove to a floured breadboard or your counter top and knead for an additional 5 minutes. Allow dough to rest for 2 hours, covered in a warm place or until doubled in size. Knead again for 5- 10 minutes and split dough into 2 - 6 portions and allow to rest for 20 minutes before rolling or stretching your dough into the desired size.

NOTE: Although not completely essential, I always make my pizza dough a day ahead and cold proof it in the fridge overnight. To do this, immediately after the second kneading, when the dough is formed into balls, place it in a long plastic container that has been lined with parchment paper and then well dusted with flour. Cover and store in the fridge overnight. Allow the dough to come up to room temperature for 30-60 minutes before using it.

BBQ Pizza Sauce

In a large saucepan sauté for one minute

• 4 cloves minced garlic in
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin Olive Oil

Add:

• 4 cups San Marzano canned tomatoes, pureed (or canned plum tomatoes)
• 2 tsp oregano
• 2 tsp sweet basil
• 1 tsp fennel seed
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• ½ cup of your favorite smoky barbeque sauce
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce (optional) or 1/4 tsp chipotle powder

Simmer all ingredients together over low heat for about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Toppings choose any you like :

Grilled boneless skinless chicken breast cut in slices.
Pre-cooked bacon
Kalamata olives
Roasted red peppers
Sautéed red onion
Cheese: Use any combination you like cheddar, mozzarella, parmasean or monteray jack cheese

Preheat your pizza stone in middle rack of your oven for half an hour at 450 degrees F.
Stretch or roll your pizza dough into rounds and place on a wooden peel that has been sprinkled with cornmeal. The cornmeal will allow the pizza to slide off the peel (I’ve even used a thin piece of cardboard in a pinch if you do not have a peel.) Make sure your pizza is sliding on the cornmeal base before adding your toppings. Spread pizza sauce over the crust plus a little cheese. Add desired toppings.This type of thin crust pizza cooks very fast (only 8 minutes in my oven) so a single layer of toppings is best. Resist the temptation to pile the toppings high on this particular pizza.

I use cheese that's cut into small cubes rater than grated because it stands up to the heat better in the high heat. Grated cheese may actually burn or brown too much at this heat.

 Shake your peel to make sure the pizza is not stuck. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone, shaking it slightly in a back and forth motion as you slowly retract the wooden peel.

Bake for 7-10 minutes depending upon your oven. Bottom and top crust should be nicely browned. Allow pizza to sit for 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Updated. Originally published October 5, 2007.

Philly Cheesesteak Pizza

Philly Cheesesteak Pizza

We love to experiment with pizza at our house and a trip to Philadelphia this past summer provided the inspiration for this simple but delicious version based, of course, on the sandwich that the city is so famous for. We had cheesesteak sandwiches at Campo's while we were in Philly and their simplicity is definitely their best attribute. The sandwich really is all about the beef but the rolls they were served on there were also perfect, not to soft, not too crusty, just right to carry the substantial amount of beef without being too heavy. I might try my hand at trying to make a similar roll one of these days but for now I'm happy to enjoy my cheesesteak ingredients on this thin crust pizza.

With the Superbowl around the corner and an oven tome of only 7 or 8 minutes per pizza, this would make a terrific addition to any big game day menu. I enjoyed this one with a tall cold beer myself and it was some pretty darn awesome. Why not have a pizza themed game day party featuring some of our other delicious pizzas like:

Caramelized Pear and Prosciutto Pizza

Buffalo Wing Pizza 

Barbeque Grilled Chicken Pizza

Grilled Asparagus Pineapple and Chicken Pizza 

Steak Taco Grilled Pizza

Thin Crust Pizza Dough (Makes enough for 6 twelve inch pizzas. You can freeze any of the dough balls that you do not immediately use.)

• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 1 tbsp instant yeast (or proof regular yeast in half of the warm water with a teaspoon of sugar dissolved in it for 10 minutes before adding)
• 2 tsp sea salt

Add all ingredients except 1 cups of the flour to the bowl. Using the dough hook on your electric mixer, mix together well and allow to run on low speed for about 10 minutes. Start adding the rest of the flour a little at a time until a soft dough forms. The dough will be a little sticky but don't worry about that, just allow it to rise in a warm spot for a couple of hours or more before turning it out into a bread board and kneading by hand, adding more flour if necessary to firm up the dough. 

You may have to use a little more or a little less flour depending factors like local humidity. Just use as much as it takes to form the dough, adding only a little at a time as you knead.

Form into 6 balls and allow the dough to rest at least a half hour before rolling out or stretching it to 12 inch circles. 

NOTE: I think that pizza dough should be made a day or even two in advance and cold proofed, covered, in the fridge. It has better flavor and texture after this long proofing period.

• garlic oil
• caramelized onions, optional ( about 1/2 cup per pizza)
• grilled peppers, optional (about 1/2 cup per pizza)
• pan seared rare striploin or prime rib steak, thinly sliced (6 - 8 ounces per pizza)
• Provolone cheese cut in 1/2 inch cubes (about 4 ounces per pizza)

Place the round on a wooden peel that has been well sprinkled with cornmeal. The cornmeal will allow the pizza to slide off the peel (I’ve even used a thin piece of cardboard in a pinch if you do not have a peel. You can also prepare the pizza on a pizza pan and when it has been baking for 4 minutes, slide it from the pan, directly onto the pizza stone to crisp the bottom crust well.) Make sure your pizza is sliding on the cornmeal base before adding your toppings.

Brush the pizza crust with garlic olive oil. Add the caramelized onions and grilled peppers if you are using them. Top witht he beef and scatter the cheese cubes evenly over the surface.

Shake your peel to make sure the pizza is not stuck. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone, shaking it slightly in a back and forth motion as you slowly retract the wooden peel. Bake for about 8 minutes or until the bottom is evenly brown.

Remove from oven and allow to stand for a couple of minutes before cutting and serving.

Sundried Tomato Almond Pesto Pizza

Sundried Tomato Almond Pesto Pizza

Such an amazing collision of flavors in this pizza. The crispy thin crust goes so well with the delicious nutty pesto, salty prosciutto and pungent goat cheese. The balsamic honey reduction brings a balancing final sweet drizzle that pulls all the flavors together. If you are not fond of goat cheese, then feel free to substitute small chunks of fresh mozzarella or bocconcini cheese.

We often use homemade pizzas for entertaining, even at parties where we slice them into small pieces and serve as finger foods in several varieties throughout the evening. Click the links below for other pizza ideas you could serve at at what's sure to be a much talked about gourmet pizza party.

Caramelized Pear and Prosciutto Pizza

 

Buffalo Wing Pizza 

Barbeque Grilled Chicken Pizza

 

Grilled Asparagus Pineapple and Chicken Pizza 

Steak Taco Grilled Pizza

Sundried Tomato Almond Pesto Pizza

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Sundried Tomato Almond Pesto Pizza - such an amazing collision of flavors in this pizza. The crispy thin crust goes so well with the delicious nutty pesto, salty prosciutto and pungent goat cheese. The balsamic honey reduction brings a balancing final sweet drizzle that pulls all the flavors together. If you are not fond of goat cheese, then feel free to substitute small chunks of fresh mozzarella or bocconcini cheese.

Prep time: 2 hours
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Yield: One 13 inch pizza

Ingredients

• 1 ball pizza dough (Click here for recipe)
• 3/4 cup sundried tomato almond pesto (Click here for recipe)
• 4 ounces thin sliced prosciutto
• 3 ounces soft goat cheese
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 6 leaves fresh basil
• 2 tbsp cornmeal (aproximately)

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat pizza stone in a 500 degree oven for 20 minutes.
2. Simmer the balsamic vinegar and honey to reduce the volume by about half. It should thicken slightly. Set aside. This will be enough for a few pizzas.
3. Stretch or roll 1/4 of the dough into about a 13-14 inch round.
4. Place the round on a wooden peel that has been well sprinkled with cornmeal. The cornmeal will allow the pizza to slide off the peel (I’ve even used a thin piece of cardboard in a pinch if you do not have a peel.) Make sure your pizza is sliding on the cornmeal base before adding your toppings.
5. Spread the pesto over the pizza.
6. Cut the prosciutto into small pieces and scatter over the pesto.
7. Dot the surface of the pizza with the goat cheese.
8. Keep the ingredients in a single layer as this helps the pizza crust stay crisp and cook quickly.
9. Shake your peel to make sure the pizza is not stuck. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone, shaking it slightly in a back and forth motion as you slowly retract the wooden peel.
10. Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until the bottom is evenly brown.
11. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
12. Drizzle with the balsamic reduction and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and fresh basil before slicing and serving.

Caramelized Pear and Prosciutto Pizza

Caramelized Pear and Prosciutto Pizza

Pizza night just keeps getting better and better at our house. This week we were inspired by Piatto, our favorite pizzeria here in St. John's. My daughter's favorite pizza there, which she orders every time, features caramelized pears, soft goat cheese and prosciutto ham. The combination is sweet and salty with the creamy pungency of the cheese and a finishing drizzle of reduced balsamic vinegar completing an unusual but absolutely delicious flavor combination. Our version turned out fantastically and Olivia gave it her stamp of approval; no doubt this one will be on the menu at many a future pizza night.

We sometimes serve homemade thin crust pizza as finger food at evening get-togethers too and this one would make fantastic finger food for any small party.

Find my pizza dough recipe by clicking here. The dough makes sufficient for four, 14 inch thin crust pizzas.

Caramelized Pear and Prosciutto Pizza - inspired by a favorite restaurant gourmet version, this recipe proves that you really can make the best thin crust pizza at home. The combination is sweet and salty with the creamy pungency of the cheese and a finishing drizzle of reduced balsamic vinegar completing an unusual but absolutely delicious flavor combination.

Prep time: 30 minutes, excluding dough preparation
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Yield: One 14 inch pizza
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 4 ounces thinly sliced proscuitto
• 4 ounces soft goat cheese (or fresh mozzarella)
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 large unpeeled pears, cored and sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp fresh herbs (optional)

Cooking Directions

1. Chop garlic and heat in the olive oil over medium heat for just a minute or two. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool
2. Simmer the balsamic vinegar to reduce the volume by about half. It should thicken slightly. Set aside.
3. Melt the butter and brown sugar together over medium heat. Add the pears in a single layer and cook for about 10 minutes turning once, to caramelize the pears.
4. Preheat pizza stone in a 500 degree oven for 20 minutes.
5. Stretch or roll 1/4 of the dough into about a 13-14 inch round.
6. Place the round on a wooden peel that has been well sprinkled with cornmeal. The cornmeal will allow the pizza to slide off the peel (I’ve even used a thin piece of cardboard in a pinch if you do not have a peel.) Make sure your pizza is sliding on the cornmeal base before adding your toppings.
7. Brush the garlic olive oil all over the center of the dough.
8. Add the goat cheese in about 1 tsp sized pieces along with the pears and prosciutto. Keep the ingredients in a single layer as this helps the pizza crust stay crisp and cook quickly.
9. Shake your peel to make sure the pizza is not stuck. Slide the pizza onto the hot stone, shaking it slightly in a back and forth motion as you slowly retract the wooden peel.
10. Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until the bottom is evenly brown and the top cheese begins to brown slightly. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
11. Drizzle with the balsamic reduction and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and fresh basil and/or oregano before slicing and serving. 

Grilled Greek Flatbread Pizza

One of our family's favorite summer meals is pizza from the backyard grill. We make batches of flatbread dough and freeze individual sized portions of it to use when we need it. For a quick workday meal, we take the dough out of the freezer in the morning and let it defrost during the day so that it is ready for the grill when we get home.  Barbeque chicken or pulled pork pizza are a couple of particular favorites and a great way to use up leftover steak too in a steak and tomato pizza. I've even made a pesto and shrimp pizza using this method. The possibilities are endless and you can use whatever is on hand. When we have friends over for a barbeque, we also often serve these as a casual appetizer course before folks sit down to the main meal.

This past week our dinner pizza was inspired by a Greek Salad and this incredibly tasty version certainly did not disappoint. We used the same dough for the pizza as we recently used for the burger buns in our recently featured Double Crunch Fried Chicken Parmesan Burgers and topped it with delicious high quality toppings for a very, very flavourful meal. The only caution with making pizza on the grill is to not overly crowd the pizza with too much topping. These pizzas cook quickly and you will want to heat the toppings well before the bottom browns too much. Use really tasty toppings that pack plenty of flavour punch; quality over quantity is the key to a successful grilled pizza.

Parmesan Herb Pizza Dough

3 cups flour
1 pkg (5 grams) instant yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp melted butter
1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (I used oregano, chives, basil and rosemary)

Makes 12 burger buns

Combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour along with the sugar, instant yeast, cheese and herbs and salt in a large bowl or in the bowl of a large electric mixer that uses a dough hook. Add the melted butter and warm milk. Using a wooden spoon or the regular paddle of your electric mixer beat for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is smooth with no lumps. If using an electric mixer, switch to the dough hook at this point and begin to slowly incorporate the remaining  flour. If not using an electric mixer keep mixing in the flour gradually until a soft dough forms that leaves the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto the counter top or bread board to knead. You may need to use a little less or a little more flour, this is not uncommon. Knead the dough for an additional 10 minutes either in the electric mixer or on a bread board or counter top.

Cover dough and leave to rest and rise for one hour. Punch the dough down and knead it for a few minutes by hand before letting it rest for another 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into about 6 ounce portions, rolling them into balls. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes before rolling out on a breadboard to about 8 inch circles.

Preheat your gas grill to medium low heat. Preheat your gas grill to about medium low heat and place the rolled dough portions a couple at a time directly on the grill. Watch these carefully, adjust the temperature and move them around on the grill as needed.  When bubbles appear it's time to flip them over and grill for about another minute.

To prepare individual pizzas, turn off the burner/s on one side of the grill and place a flatbread or two on the other side. Brush the top with garlic oil. You can find a simple method of making your own garlic oil here.

Top the pizzas with

baby spinach leaves

feta cheese, full fat works best here

sliced red onion

sliced sweet red peppers

sundried pitted kalamata olives

chopped fresh oregano

Close the cover on the grill and let cook for about 5 minutes or until the pizza is crispy on the bottom and the cheese warmed and softened. If you like you can drizzle a little good balsamic vinegar over the top before slicing and serving.