Mini Margherita Grilled Pizzas
These mini grilled margherita pizzas made with fresh mozzarella, basil, and a simple crushed tomato sauce on Naples dough are the perfect summer date night dinner.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 270 g Neapolitan-style dough ball at 60% hydration room temperature, split into 2 equal pieces
- 1 cup Margherita Pizza Sauce see below
- 6 oz fresh mozzarella cheese quartered and sliced thin
- 8 to 10 fresh basil leaves washed and dried
- 2 pinches sea salt for finishing
Margherita Pizza Sauce
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes with basil
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Margherita Pizza Sauce. Add crushed tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and salt to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, covered, for about 5 to 10 minutes or until heated through. Stir occasionally.
- Preheat the grill pan on the stove over medium-high heat and lightly brush with cooking oil.
- Flour a clean work surface and stretch the 2 dough balls into roughly 8-inch circles. One at a time, flatten the dough ball into a disc and gently press around the edges to form a small rim. Then use both hands to stretch from the center outwards, working your way around the dough in a circle until evenly stretched.
- Transfer one of the pizza crusts to the grill pan. Cook until the bottom is crisped, about 2 to 3 minutes, rotating the dough by 90 degrees halfway through.
- Lower the heat and transfer pizza crust to a cutting board or other work surface, grilled side up. Quickly top with about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the sauce, half of the mozzarella, and 4 to 5 fresh basil leaves, then transfer the pizza back onto the grill pan.
- Cover and cook until the bottom is crisped and toppings are warmed through, about 5 minutes, rotating the pizza by 90 degrees halfway through.
- Transfer cooked pizza to a cutting board and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt. Let cool for at least 2 minutes before slicing. Turn the heat back to medium-high and repeat steps 4-6 to cook the second pizza.
- Slice pizzas with a large chef's knife and serve hot.
Notes
Pizza dough: We used a recipe from our Mastering Pizza cookbook for Neapolitan-style dough. You can find plenty of recipes online for similar types of dough, but we recommend looking for one with 60% hydration for the cooking method outlined in this recipe. If making the dough from scratch, we recommend splitting it in half before the resting period - this will make it easier to ensure your mini dough balls end up the same size.
Pizza sauce: We included a full recipe here for our margherita pizza sauce since it uses one entire can of crushed tomatoes. It's more than enough sauce for the two mini pizzas, so you'll have leftovers if you make a whole batch. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days and use it throughout the week, or freeze it in a handy container like these Souper Cubes. Pro tip: pizza sauce also makes a great pasta sauce, and is perfect for dipping snacks like mozzarella sticks, breadsticks, and garlic knots!
Grilling: We don't have our own grill, so we use this awesome cast iron grill pan for grilling on the stove. But you can follow the exact same steps outlined in this recipe on a traditional grill, too.
Nutrition
Calories: 617kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 2478mg | Potassium: 433mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1190IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 450mg | Iron: 5mg