Calgary winters are long. Sometimes its hard to think about barbecuing when you're shoveling your way through two feet of snow. Even though we've got it in our name, we want to make sure we never forget about barbecuing - even on the coldest of days.
We have a tradition here at Barbecues Galore where each Friday of the winter a staff member takes a turn cooking lunch on the barbecue. It can be a very lucky day if a chinook blows through and it happens to be +15 degrees out. But, on the other hand, you're still cooking if it's 30 below - bet we're really selling a job here right about now. We promise though, it's worth it.
We've got some amazing chefs working for us, and they never disappoint. It also gives new staff, who maybe have never had a chance to barbecue before, an opportunity to get cooking and learn something new.
Radha was first up this year, and she nailed pizza on the grill. Radha cooked her pizza on the Broil King Keg - and just like that, pizza was never the same. In this blog you'll find her recipes for her homemade pizza sauce and pizza dough. Add your favourite toppings, and your favourite pizza stone and get to grilling. The only pizza you'll find that will beat it might be in Italy.
Pizza Sauce
1 l 796 ml can crushed tomato
1 170 gram can tomato paste
2 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
½ tsp thyme
3 cloves crushed garlic
Combine all ingredients into a sauce pan and simmer for ½ hour. (This will make enough for 6 large Pizzas.)
Pizza Dough
1 cup warm water
1 tsp quick rising yeast
1 egg
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup corn meal (optional if not using corn meal replace with flour)
3 tsp olive oil
Pinch of salt
Pinch of black pepper
Directions
If cooking on a BBQ preheat to 500 degrees or 350 in the oven. (1 large pizza)
Place water sugar in a medium size bowl sprinkle yeast and wait 3 minutes. Add egg, seasoning, garlic powder, salt and black pepper whisk for 3 minutes. This will soften up the dry spices and the salt will bring out the flavor. Combine flour and corn meal in a bowl and gradually add to liquid while whisking until the dough start to thicken. Kneed by hand until all flour mix is absorbed. Form into a ball then rub oil around the outside to keep from drying out. Cover with a clean cloth or plastic wrap and set aside to rise for 10 to 15 minutes. Roll out pizza dough with a rolling pin until desired thickness and place on a pizza stone if cooking on the BBQ or on a pizza pan in the oven. Add sauce, desired meat and veggie with cheese cook on a preheated BBQ for 12 to 15 minutes or until the dough is light brown.
Look at all that cheesey goodness. A pizza stone helps you get that extra crispy crust that we all love.
Anthony was Radha's assistant for the day. He looks like a pizza master himself.
This is where Neil, our photographer, had to fight not to reach out past his camera and grab a slice.
The finished product. Don't worry, we know you're drooling on your keyboard right now - and we're not judging.
Thanks again Radha, can't wait to see what deliciousness you come up with next year!