Fabulicious!: On the Grill by Teresa Giudice Read Free Book Online Page A

as a savory dessert.
    1 ball of Pronto Presto Pizza Dough ( page 55 )
    Flour, for rolling out the dough
    8 very thin slices of prosciutto
    8 ripe figs, stemmed and quartered
    1 cup (5 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
    Extra-virgin olive oil
    1. Preheat the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (400°F).
    2. Roll, pull, and stretch the dough on a lightly floured work surface into a 12-inch round. Transfer to a lightly floured baker’s peel (or a rimless baking sheet) and reshape as needed.
    3. Lightly oil the cooking grate. Slide the dough from the peel onto the grate and close the grill lid. Cook until the underside is browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Lightly brush the top of the dough with oil. Flip the dough over and brush off any flour. Arrange the prosciutto and figs evenly over the dough, then sprinkle with the Gorgonzola. Close the lid and continue cooking until the underside is browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pizza from the grill, and let it stand 1 to 2 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil, cut into wedges, and serve.



CHAPTER 4

Insalate e Minestre
(Salads and Soups)

    The way we say “take it or leave it” in Italy—usually with a shrug—is
    a mangiar questa minestra o saltar questa fincestra ,
    which means “either eat this soup or jump out this window.”
    I know there are people who say you can grill anything, even watermelon, but I think that’s a little insane. (I’ve actually tasted grilled watermelon, but it’s too watery to do anything but get hot. You know what’s not so refreshing on a hot day? Hot watermelon.) Not all food is meant for the grill, and if you plan on grilling all of your courses you’ll end up spending all day cooking and not interacting with your guests.
    For first courses and lighter entrées, I prefer quickly grilling key ingredients and then adding them to the rest of the nongrilled dish to make something more like magic. For instance, arugula salad with figs is delicious. Grill the figs first, though, and it becomes divine. Macaroni salad is yummy, until you add grill-roasted red peppers, and then it becomes art.
    I’m also going to give you some soups and cold salads that don’t need to go anywhere near your grill so you can enjoy your own party. And you can easily make any of these recipes ahead of time, so when people start arriving, you can just pull them out of the refrigerator and dig in.
G ARDEN G IRL
    Of course, all my recipes celebrate the fruits of the summer season. There is nothing like fresh strawberries, just-picked basil, or locally grown tomatoes. In fact, those three favorites are some of the easiest plants to grow at home, yourself. If you’ve never done it, it’s well worth the time and will save you lots of money! I have fresh basil year round: in my garden in the summer and in pots inside in the winter. My girls love to grow strawberries (although most only manage to make it from the vine directly into their mouths!). And tomatoes . . . the taste difference alone between those grown at home or on a small farm and those that are commercially grown should be enough to convince anyone to start staking out a small garden plot.
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    * * *     Re-seasoning Salads     * * *
    S tarchy salads—like potato and macaroni—soak up their dressings as they sit in the refrigerator, and the flavors change. Something that may have been perfectly seasoned a few hours before may taste bland now. So always re-season these salads as needed with a splash of vinegar or oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. If you are taking them to a picnic or cookout, make some extra dressing and bring it along for re-seasoning.
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W HICH V INEGAR ?
    Like peanut butter to jelly, olive oil needs its friend vinegar to make Italian summer dressings and marinades perfect. Which vinegar—balsamic, white wine, or red wine—should you always have on hand? The answer is all of them, since they all have