Grilled Pesto Pizza with Shrimp
I have been eating this pizza topping combination (minus the dough recipe) since I was a kid. My mom was actually in our local newspaper showcasing this pizza. It’s a classic (in my opinion) with homemade pesto, shrimp, diced tomatoes, fontina and fresh mozzarella. Definitely add or subtract with your preferences, but this pizza is delicious and a perfect summer recipe!
Some Cooking Essentials:
My Pizza Cookbook by Jim Lahey
Pizza Steel
Pizza Peel
Pizza Cutter
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Pesto Shrimp Pizza
Yield: 3-6
Ingredients
Pesto
- 5 cups basil, trimmed and cleaned
- 6 large garlic cloves
- 2/3 cup pine nuts
- 1 cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
- 1 cup olive oil
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Pizza
- Pizza dough- see recipe below
- 1 lb large shrimp, sliced in half length-wise
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 8 oz fresh pesto (more or less to taste)
- 1 lb fresh mozzarella, sliced
- 1 lb fontina cheese, freshly shredded
Instructions
Pesto
- In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts until they are golden brown and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent burning. Remove from heat and let cool.
- In a food processor, combine the basil leaves, toasted pine nuts, and minced garlic. Pulse a few times until coarsely chopped.
- Add the grated Parmesan cheese. With the food processor running, slowly pour in the olive oil in a steady stream. Continue to process until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- If the pesto is too thick, you can thin it out with a little more olive oil until you reach your desired consistency.
- Transfer the pesto to a jar or airtight container. If not using immediately, pour a thin layer of olive oil on top to prevent discoloration and cover tightly. Pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week or frozen for up to three months.
Pizza Assembly
- Sprinkle a clean surface with a generous amount of flour. This will prevent the dough from sticking. Take one pizza dough ball and place it on the floured surface.
- Using your fingers, gently press the dough from the center outward, gradually stretching it into a circle. Lift the dough occasionally to ensure it’s not sticking, adding more flour to the surface as needed. Continue stretching the dough until it reaches your desired thickness and size, typically about 10-12 inches in diameter.
- Mix a small amount of flour with cornmeal on top of the pizza peel and spread evenly. Carefully place the stretched pizza dough onto the prepared pizza peel. Give the peel a little shake to make sure the dough moves freely.
- Evenly sprinkle the shredded Fontina cheese and torn pieces of mozzarella over the dough. Add dollops of pesto, then the shrimp, then the tomatoes.
- Finish with a sprinkling of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Cooking Instructions
- Preheat your oven/grill with a pizza steel or pizza stone inside to 500°F (or the highest setting).
- Carefully slide the pizza off the peel and onto the preheated pizza steel or stone.
- Bake for about 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly and melted, and the shrimp is cooked through.
No Knead Pizza Dough Recipe
Yield: 3
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 ⅓ cups cool water
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, blend the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the water and, with a wooden spoon and/or your hands, mix thoroughly. Dough will be sticky. If it's too dry, add another tablespoon of water and continuing mixing. Do this until the dough is sticky to the touch.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and allow it to rise at room temperature (about 72°) in a draft-free spot for 18-24 hours or until it has more than doubled.
- Flour a work surface and scrape out the dough. Divide it into 2-3 equal parts depending on how big you would like your pizza to be and shape them. For each pizza ball, start with the one side of the dough and pull it toward the center, then do the same with the opposite, then the top, then the bottom. Shape each portion into a round and turn seam side down. The mounds should not be sticky; if they are, dust with more flour & cover with plastic wrap and/or towels for another 2-3 hours.
- Preheat Grill/oven with pizza stone/peel inside to 500°F for about 30 minutes prior to cooking pizza.
- Cook pizzas until crust is bubbly and cheese is melted. 8-12 minutes *Time will vary*
