This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Ragu® . The opinions and text are all mine.
I LOVE Italian cooking! Lately I cannot get enough Margherita Pizza. There is a place close to our house that makes killer these amazing specialty pizzas. I go there more than I should, and have tried to recreate the many of their recipes at home. I recently created a quick and easy Margherita Pizza that was out-of-this-world delicious. Because it was so quick, and so easy, I knew I had to share.
The weather has been unseasonably warm here so I have really tried to eek out every last bit of themgrilling season. A couple of years ago, I did a post entitled Pizza on the Grill. When you grill a pizza, it mimics the flavor that only brick oven places can achieve. The grill infuses a great smokey, fired flavor into the crust, and it makes a perfect, crisp crust with a chewy center.
This particular day, was a Saturday. I usually do something easy on Saturdays, because we are usually running all over the place from one activity to the next. I had a hankering for that same Margherita Pizza that I just can’t get out of my head. I had to run to the store to grab a few things for Sunday dinner, and decided while I was there I would grab some ingredients to attempt a Margherita pizza on the grill.
I knew a wanted a quality sauce, so I set off to find something that I thought would work in place of my homemade sauce. Ragu® makes a pizza sauce called Ragu® Homemade Style. My kids love the Ragu® Traditional, so I thought I’d give it a whirl.
I grabbed some mozzarella, tomato, and fresh basil. I was armed with all I needed to make this pizza happen.
Here is the recipe I came up with:
Ingredients
- 1/2 batch of Mama's Best Pizza Dough
- 1 bottle of Ragu® Pizza Sauce Homemade Style
- 8 oz. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
- Fresh Basil, chopped
- Basamic Glaze (optional)
Instructions
- Turn your grill on to medium heat or to about 350°.
- Prepare a half of a batch of Mama's Best Pizza Dough
- When prepared, cut dough in half and place on flour dusted parchment paper.
- Roll out to a large pizza crust about 1/4 inch. Spray the top of the crust with non-stick spray, and cover with another sheet of parchment. Transfer the dough to a tray to take to the grill.
- Once grill has reached the proper temperature, remove the top layer of parchment from the dough. Flip the whole dough onto the grill non-stick sprayed side down. The hot grill will immediately start to cook the dough so it won't slide through the grates.
- Cook for 3 to 5 minutes. You just want a nice golden color.
- When golden, DO NOT FLIP OVER BACK ONTO THE GRILL. Remove the crust and place back on to the baking sheet cooked side up. Reduce heat to LOW.
- Proceed to dress the pizza. First, spread the Ragu® Homestyle Pizza Sauce onto the crust. Sprinke mozzarella, place sliced tomato on top.
- Place back on the grill, and close the lid. Cook another 5 minutes. As the crust crisps up to a nice golden color, the cheese should melt, and tomato should become soft.
- Remove pizza and place on clean baking sheet. Top with fresh, sliced basil.
- For an even more authentic flavor, drizzle with a reduced balsamic glaze.
My family loved the pizza, and I loved finding a new, quick and easy way to put smiles on their faces. For me, cooking is all about bringing the family together. A good meal gives so many opportunities bring magic to an evening. Give this recipe a try, and let me know what you think. Be sure to click here to learn about other Ragu® products that help make delicious dinners for your family.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Ragu® . The opinions and text are all mine.