GRILLED PIZZA PESTO STYLE! & Hahn Estates Syrah

                                               
Pizza, Pizza and More Grilled Pizza!
I've been experimenting with all types of Grilled Pizzas over the past few months. Half of our dockmates have been invited to try our grilled pizza. If they haven't been invited up to the grill yet, they will be before the summer is over!

                                                                      

Dockside Pizzaria?
Maybe I should start selling them. Hey! That's not a bad idea! Can't tell John though. He'll say NO of course, so I'll just have too suck him in when he's not paying attention! He'll ask me,

• John: "Why are there 10 crusts here? Are we having a party you didn't tell me about?" 
• Me: "No, I have 10 Pizza orders for $10.00 each!" And then he'll be amazed and beam with pride that his wife is such the little entrepreneur! HA! What he'll probably say is,
• John: "WHAT? What did you just do? You've got me standing here making pizzas for the whole dock?" But then I'll say
• Me: "Yes, but we'll be rich beyond imagination and next year we'll be able to buy a 50 foot boat and put a commercial kitchen in it! Then I can have a take-out window...I mean port and sell creamies too!"
  
• John: "Silly dreams!".....or are they?

Roasted Red Pepper and Basil Pesto
I've been making my own pesto lately too. It's so much cheaper than buying prepared pesto, and better! This time I threw a few roasted red peppers in with the basil. I've done this before but it's been quite some time since my homemade pesto days. Here's the link to my Pesto Recipe. Just add a roasted red pepper or two in oil to the basil in the food processor.

                                                                   

                                                       

Grilled Pesto Pizza
These pizzas were done on whole wheat dough purchased from the store. They come in 1 pound balls and I stretched them out and patted them into rectangles...well, almost! They're never perfectly shaped and I think that's what makes them so unique! I sprinkled the sheet with cornmeal and olied them with basil oil on both sides. I always pat the dough out on a piece of foil to make it easier to flip it upside down on the grill. Less messy that way.

                                                             

                                                          

                                                             

I sauteed some asparagus in basil oil and I still had some Garlic Scapes left over from the farmers' market, so I threw those on top too! I used a Microplane rasp (cheese grater and citrus zester) to do my parmesan and cheddar cheeses. Some red pepper strips for color and I sprinkled a little Mrs Dash on top of it all for a flavor boost. Man, that pizza came out tasty! I'm convinced it's the pesto that makes it. If you've never done Pizza on the Grill before, you need to try it! Click here for an earlier post and more complete directions.

                                                                       

Pepperoni, Olive and Tomato Pizza
The next Grilled Pizza was a mish-mash of left over odds-and-ends. Red sauce, imported green olives, tomatoes, onions, pepperoni, fresh basil leaves, mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan. Again, I sprinkled the top with Mrs Dash Garlic & Herb seasoning.

                                                               

Hahn Estates 2005 Central Coast Syrah
We always bring a bottle of wine to the grill with us. It makes the whole Grilled Pizza experience more enjoyable. Combine a couple of good friends, a few Grilled Pizzas and a great bottle of wine and we have an instant dock party! This time we picked out Hahn Estates 2005 Central Coast Syrah. Good choice for Pizza on the Grill! It's a bold wine but the tannins were soft and well balanced. I detected jammy fruits and it was a little peppery, but just enough to be spicy. I swished it around and the dark fruit flavor exploded in my mouth! I left a little in my mouth and took a bite of the pizza and WOW! didn't that make a difference! I've had this wine before but never with Grilled Pizza. This label is a new favorite for me. I think we paid around $11.50 for the bottle, but then again, we bought a mixed case of 12, so it could have been a little higher. Even still, it was worth it! Check out the Hahn website for more info on this amazing Hahn Estates 2005 Central Coast Syrah.

                                                              

Pizza of the Week
So that's it for the two pizzas of the week! Join me next time for "As the Pizza Grills...We Drink Wine!"

                                                                        

Comments

[CB]

Oh man. I am totally craving pizza now.
/Clara

[Cathy C]

WOW that looks so amazing - I have not tried pizza on the grill - that will change!! Thanks for the kick in the butt I needed to try it - Of course there will be WINE involved.

Cheers
Cathy
www.wheresmydamnanswer.com

[Erika Martin - Stampin' Mama]

You better be damn sure you're making me pizza this weekend! *drools*

[Liliana]

You know I could eat those pizzas for breakfast! They look so good and paired of with a couple of glasses (bottles) of wine - perfect! Wonderful pictures!

Happy Birthday!

[Shawn K.]

Hmm...yummy looking pizza! How did those garlic scapes taste? I'm going to have to try them.

Shawn K.