Grilled vegetable pizza

Finally it is time for us to uncover the grill and celebrate the nice weather outside.  We have been cooking inside all winter - now is the perfect time to dust off the grill and move outside!  Cut up your favorite fresh vegetables, grill them and enjoy pizza in a whole new way.  The grill gives fresh vegetables a delicious flavor.  Combine the grilled vegetables with some smokey gouda cheese and melty fontina and you have  yourself a party on your pizza.  Enjoy this culinary treat you simply cannot buy.
I want to procede this recipe with a big note.  Making your own pizza crust is so easy and makes all the difference in the world on the end result of this pizza.  If you have to take the short cut of buying already made dough, it's ok, but, I encourage you to try and make it.  You will be converted to the Dough Hall of Fame.

Dough:

4 cups of flour, plus extra for dusting
1 envelope active dry yeast
1 cup cool water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons of salt

Whisk together the yeast in lukewarm water, and 1/2 cup of the flour in the bowl of a mixer. Dust the top lightly with flour, cover bowl with a tea towel, and leave to rise until the flour dusting "cracks," showing the yeast is active.  This should take about 15- 20 minutes.

Add 3 cups of the flour, the 1 cup of cool water and the olive oil and salt.  Start kneading in mixer on low.  Increase the speed to medium as your incorporate the flour. Add the remaining 1 cup flour a little bit at a time as needed to produce a slightly moist and soft dough.  Knead with the dough hook attachment until smooth.  Remove from mixer and dust a clean surface with flour.  Continue to knead lightly with your hands a few folds only and smooth into a ball to raise one more time for 1 hour or twice in size.  Punch dough down wrap and freeze for up to 1 month or use immediately like I did.

Ingredients:

2 small eggplants
6 mushrooms
1/2 yellow squash
1red pepper and 1 green pepper
1 whole onion
1 fennel bulb
1 chunk smoked gouda
1 chunk fontina
8oz. shredded mozzerella
1 pkg. fresh basil
11/2 cup classico tomato basil red sauce or your favorite (I use pesto sometimes and sundried tomato pesto also sometimes........whatever you like)
1 t. oregano
1t. garlic powder
2 T. butter
1/2 cup olive oil and 3 T. olive oil
hot red pepper to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1T. sugar
8 slices bacon cut into little pieces

Roll out pizza dough to desired shape.  Drizzle finished dough with olive oil all over even the crust.  Salt and pepper the dough, sprinkle dough with oregano, red pepper and garlic powder.  With a fork poke holes in the dough all over.  Layer evenly the bacon pieces flat onto dough and bake on 400 degrees for 20 minutes until slightly golden.  Remove dough and set aside.

Grilling the vegetables is really a fast process and you cannot leave them unattended or you will learn like me that they burn very fast. Heat grill on low.  First slice all vegetables into 1 inch to 1/1/2 ich pieces.  Not too thin, or they will not be able to handle the grilling.  Brush both sides of vegetables with olive oil.  Brush grill with olive oil as well.  Place vegetables carefully on the grill so they don't fall through the slits.  You can use a vegetable grilling pan if you wish, but, I don't because I like the grill marks.  Cook carefully flipping them until tender and grilled through.  Remove and set aside.

In medium saute pan, heat butter and 3 T.olive oil.  Add sliced onion and sliced fennel bulb. Salt and pepper to taste.   If you have never worked with fennel, you only use the bulb.  Discard the stems.  Fennel is a very fragrant vegetable (it resembles the smell of licorice).  As it cooks the flavor becomes very delicate.  It is such a unique and delicious vegetable that I am starting to use more and more in my cooking.  Add 1T. sugar and cook for 20 minutes until carmelized.

Now that everything is ready to dress, start by spreading your sauce of choice on the pizza dough.  Sprinkle the sauce with parmegiano cheese. Layer one will be your carmelized onion and fennel.  Spread all over the pizza.  Layer grilled vegetables next.  Layer fresh basil.  Now shred both cheeses and spread evenly on top of pizza.  Top with mozzerella cheese.  Bake on 400 degrees until golden brown and bubbly on top.  Enjoy