Grilled Ratatouille Pizza

Author

Adapted from "The Art of Blending" by Lior Lev Sercarz

Servings

4

Category

Pizza

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant, trimmed and cut into 1-inch slices lengthwise
• 1 large sweet onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds
• 1 yellow bell pepper - stemmed, seeded and cut in half
• 2 medium zucchini, trimmed and cut into 1-inch slices lengthwise
• 12 garlic cloves, peeled and thickly sliced
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Iris N.9 spice blend, plus extra for sprinkling
• Salt to taste
• 2 cups (1 pint) cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 pound store-bought pizza dough, or try making dough from scratch
• 6 thin slices (about 6 ounces) provolone cheese, cut in half
• 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions

1. Heat your grill to 450°F if using gas, if using charcoal build a 2-zone fire. In a large bowl, combine the eggplant, onion, pepper, zucchini and garlic. Add the olive oil, salt to taste, and 1 tablespoon of the Iris spice blend; toss to coat.
2. Grill vegetables (use a cast iron skillet on the cool side for the garlic) on the hot side of the grill, 2-3 minutes (lid closed) per side. Slice the vegetables into 1 inch cubes and add to the skillet, and cook (lid closed) for 5-7 minutes. Add the tomatoes to the skillet along with the other tablespoon of Iris and cook (lid closed) until they release their juices and begin to soften (another 5-7 minutes). Remove the skillet and set aside. Heat the grill to 600°F if using gas.
3. Alternatively you can prepare the topping indoors as follows: Start with all vegetables chopped into 1-inch dice except for the garlic. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and heat the oven to 425°. Place the veggies on a baking sheet in the preheated oven and roast the vegetables until golden brown on the bottom, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, stir in the cherry tomatoes and continue roasting, stirring once more, until the tomatoes have started to release their juices, about 10 to 15 minutes longer. Remove the ratatouille from the oven.
4. Meanwhile, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a dough scraper or a sharp knife, quarter the dough crosswise. Working with one portion at a time, stretch the dough into a 12-by-4-inch rectangle. Transfer to a oiled baking sheet or cutting board. Lay the dough on the grill (on the hot side if using charcoal) and brush the top with olive oil, cook for 3 minutes with the lid off, or 1-2 minutes with the lid on, make sure that the dough does not get too crispy yet, you're looking to set it but not cook it completely. Flip the dough.
5. Quickly lay slices of provolone cheese over the dough and top each with 1 cup of the ratatouille (you will have 1 to 2 cups of ratatouille left for another use). Bake the pizzas with the lid closed until the crust is crisp and golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Use your nose, if they smell like they are cooking too fast remove the lid and move them to a cool part of the grill, or turn down the heat. Remove the pizzas from the grill, let cool for a minute, sprinkle with the grated cheese, a splash of olive oil, and additional Iris, and serve.