Grilled Pizza with Red Peppers, Broccoli, and Onions

Ingredients

• 1 ball pizza dough, store-bought or homemade
• Olive oil for sautéing vegetables, and coating and brushing the dough
• 1/2 cup sliced red onions
• 1/2 bell pepper, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped broccoli
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives
• Coarsely ground cornmeal or flour for rolling and stretching the dough
• 1 cup tomato sauce, store-bought or homemade
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, preferably fresh
• 1/4 cup slivered fresh basil leaves, optional

Directions

1. Cut the dough in half, then lightly form it into 2 balls. Rub each one gently with olive oil and leave the dough at room temperature for about an hour, either in a large bowl or on the counter under a dishtowel.
2. Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large lidded skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook for 6 minutes, stirring as they soften and take on a little color.
3. Stir in the chopped broccoli and cook for another minute. Pour in 2 tablespoons water, cover the skillet, and cook for 1 minute. Uncover the pan and continue cooking for another minute or two, until the broccoli is barely tender and the water has cooked away. Mix in the olives, then move the vegetables to a plate.
4. Scatter cornmeal or flour over a lightly oiled baking sheet. Use 2 baking sheets if you would like extra room or if you are preparing multiple pizzas. Working gently, roll or stretch each dough ball into a 12-inch circle, or shape it into a rectangle.
5. The dough may need a little coaxing: stretch or roll it, pause for a few minutes so it loosens up, then continue shaping so it does not pull itself back smaller. This is much easier once the dough is at room temperature. Aim for about 1/4 inch thick, knowing it will swell on the grill. Finish with one last stretch, and do not stress over a perfectly even shape.
6. Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for medium heat. Pour the sauce into a small bowl, then take it to the grill with a brush, tongs, a grill spatula, the cheese, the dough, and the cooked vegetables.
7. Brush olive oil over the top of each shaped pizza round. Quickly lift one piece of dough by an edge and turn it onto the grill with the oiled surface facing down. Do the same with the remaining dough.
8. Shut the grill and leave it closed for 2 minutes, giving the dough time to puff and set. Open the lid and use tongs to look underneath: the bottom should be dry and firm, easy to lift, and marked lightly from the grill.
9. Brush the uncooked sides lightly with olive oil, then turn the crusts over.
10. Right away, brush sauce over each crust. Add the cheese in an even layer, then scatter the vegetables over the top.
11. Close the grill again and cook for 4 minutes. Check the pizzas: the cheese should be fully melted, and the bottom of each crust should be well browned and only bend slightly when lifted with tongs.
12. Use a large spatula to take the pizzas off the grill. Add the fresh basil, if using, then let the pizzas rest for 1 to 2 minutes so the cheese can settle a bit before slicing.