History

George Germon and Johanne Killeen invented grilled pizza in 1980 when they opened Al Forno on South Water Street in Providence. The technique (dough straight onto the grates, no pan, no peel) had no American precedent; the closest analogue is the Apulian focaccia-on-coals tradition. The original Al Forno grilled pizza Margherita (tomato, mozzarella, basil, olive oil) is still on the menu. The technique was widely copied through the 1980s and 90s; Germon and Killeen wrote the Cucina Simpatica cookbook in 1991, which spread the method internationally.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield Makes 4 individual grilled pizzasHands-on 30 minTotal 2 hr 30 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 500g strong bread flour
  • 10g fine sea salt
  • 7g instant yeast
  • 320ml lukewarm water
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more
  • 200g whole-milk mozzarella, sliced thin
  • 240ml passata or crushed San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • Fresh basil leaves
  • Salt, black pepper
  • Extra olive oil to finish

Method

  1. Combine flour, salt, yeast in a bowl. Add water and 2 tbsp olive oil. Knead 8 minutes until smooth.
  2. Cover and rise 90 minutes at room temperature.
  3. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high; you want the grates hot enough to char dough in 60 seconds.
  4. Divide the dough into 4 portions. Stretch each into a 20cm oval, about 3mm thick. Brush both sides with olive oil.
  5. Lay one dough onto the hot grates. Cook 90 seconds, undisturbed, until the bottom blisters and chars. Flip with tongs.
  6. Working fast, scatter sliced mozzarella over the just-flipped grilled side. Spoon over 2 tbsp of the passata (mixed with grated garlic and a pinch of salt).
  7. Close the grill lid for 60 seconds to melt the cheese.
  8. Slide off the grill. Finish with fresh basil, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Eat immediately.
  9. Repeat with the remaining dough portions.

Tip from the editors. Don't pre-bake the dough; the whole point is direct fire. If the grates aren't ferociously hot, the dough sticks.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat grilled pizza

Grilled pizza in Providence

Al Forno ★ 4.9

Chef Johanne Killeen$70-110 a la carteBook 2-3 weeks ahead

Johanne Killeen's Al Forno on South Water Street invented grilled pizza in 1980. Wood-fire kitchen, baked pasta, Providence's most enduring fine-dining room.

Order: A grilled pizza Margherita and the baked penne with tomato cream.

Tip: No reservations for parties under five; arrive by 17:15 or book parties of five-plus on Tock.

577 South Water Street, Providence, RI 02903 Book →

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