Pizza on the Grill

Makes eight 7-inch round pizzas. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a small skillet. Add garlic, herbs de Provence and pepper; cook over medium heat until garlic is soft but not brown - about 5 minutes. Set aside. Sprinkle yeast and sugar over 1/4 cup of warm water (100-115 degrees), and allow to stand about 5 minutes, until yeast begins to swell. [If the yeast doesn't swell with bubbles appearing here and there, it may be dead; discard and begin again with fresh yeast.] Mix together the flour, cornmeal and salt in a food processor. To the yeast mixture (above) add 1 cup of cool water and the herb/oil mixture. With the machine running, gradually pour the liquid mixture into the dry (flour etc.) mixture. Process until a rough ball forms. If dough is too sticky or dry, add flour or water as needed - no more than 1 tablespoon at a time. [NOTE: this mixing of the dough can be done, alternatively, in an electric mixer or by hand.] Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes, then continue to process until the dough is smooth (about 35 seconds). Remove the dough from the processor or mixing bowl and knead by hand for a few seconds, on a lightly floured surface, until the dough forms a smooth, round ball. Place this ball of dough into a lightly oiled bowl, turning the dough to coat its surface with the oil, cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, and allow to rise (set the bowl in a warm place) until the dough doubles in size - about 2 hours. Punch down the dough and divide it into 8 equal-size pieces. Roll each piece to form a smooth, round ball. Place the balls on a lightly floured surface, cover with a damp cloth, and allow to rest until they puff slightly - about 30 minutes. Roll out each dough ball into a 7-inch disk, flouring work surface and dough as necessary. Place a disk on a lightly floured cookie sheet; sprinkle the top with flour, then stack the disks in groups of four. NOTE: Dough may be covered and stored in refrigerator for up to 6 hours. To Grill the Pizza Dough Crusts: Prepare and heat the grill as usual for grilling. Temperature should be high Brush the tops of four dough rounds with some of the remaining olive oil, then sprinkle each with salt. Grill, oiled side down - covered - until dark brown grill marks appear - about 1 - 1 1/2 minutes. Burst any bubbles that develop. Brush the dough tops with oil, then flip. If topping pizzas at this point, quickly arrange toppings on each round, cover and grill until pizza bottoms are crisp and browned - 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately; repeat with remaining rounds. If not topping now, simply flip the freshly oiled rounds until the flip side is crisp and browned, then remove crusts to a platter for later topping. If preparing pizza after fully baking the crusts, place the baked crusts on a cookie sheet, arrange toppings over each, and broil until the toppings sizzle and cheese is melted - about 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately. NOTE: To bake pizza dough in the oven: form dough into one large (12"-14") pizza, or 8 individual (7") crusts. Form raised edges on crust(s) if desired. Brush dough with olive oil. Arrange desired toppings on top of each disk of dough. Bake in perforated or other pizza pan, or on baking stone, in thoroughly preheated 500-degree oven for 12-15 minutes, or until sizzling and cheese is melted. Simple toppings: Saute sliced onion with portobello mushrooms, garlic and fresh thyme, finishing the topping with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Saute onion, fennel and garlic mixed with canned or grilled plum tomatoes. Add salt, pepper, fennel seed and crushed red pepper at the last minute. Saute onion with julienne of sun-dried tomato. Add crumbled goat cheese and fresh marjoram. Slice fresh tomatoes and top with basil, olive oil, salt, pepper and grated parmesan cheese. Make stacks of pizza crust rounds, ready to grill, and store in the refrigerator. Make up as many topping ingredients as your imagination and budget allows - put them in individual bowls, then fire up the grill, have a party, and let guests build their own! (Have a bowl of olive oil with a brush, and coarse salt and a pepper mill available, along with a long spatula.)