Pizza on the Green Egg

July 2 - There’s really nothing better than a really good pizza. I often forget that, but sometimes it’s all I can think about. The past week has been one of those times. I’ve been craving a really good pizza, which around here, isn’t as easy to find as you’d think. I’m just as happy as the next person with take-out pizza, but I can be a bit of a snob, and thin-crust, crispy, flatbread-ish pizza is what I’m really looking for. So, today I took matters into my own hands when I showed up at Brenda’s with two pizza recipes, my heart set on cooking them on the Green Egg.

First, to go with the pizzas, my mom and Brenda took on the task of making a wedge salad. They look great but are so easy to prepare; just cut a head of lettuce into wedges, add bacon, tomatoes, blue cheese or ranch dressing, and you’re good to go. Brenda insisted that we needed onion straws on top, leading us to a desperate purchase of potato sticks (Things that I forgot existed and am kind of happy I did). But, my mom saved the day and found these delicacies after all, making for a salty and crunchy (but definitely not healthy) addition to the salads.

Now to the good stuff.

The first of the two types was a classic margherita, perfectly proportioned with mozzarella, tomato sauce, and basil. Always wonderfully simple and exceptionally delicious. The second, a white pizza, one my mom and Brenda loved, was cooked with mozzarella and parmesan, then topped afterwards with peppery arugula. The Egg and baking are two of Bob’s realms of expertise, so with his guidance, I kneaded and rolled the dough, arranged the toppings, and learned the importance of moving quickly when placing down and picking up a pizza. By the middle of cooking, I was covered in flour, confidently wielding the pizza peel, and nibbling on pieces while waiting for the other pies to bake.

Besides following the recipes, I’m a big believer in throwing whatever sounds good onto a pizza and seeing how it goes, especially when making so many. We decided to use up the extra turkey-meatballs from the past meal and to add cherry tomatoes for some color and variation. All 6 pies we made came out beautifully, the alarmingly high temp of the Egg ensuring a crispy and evenly cooked pie. Most of all, I loved continuously cooking, watching as the designated eaters got excited every time they were presented with a new pizza to enjoy. It’s nights like these that remind me why I love food so much, and why I want to be great at cooking, because there really is nothing that can bring people together and make them happy the way that a good meal can. Oh, and I really like the part where I get to eat, too.

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