Sandwiches
20130131-239071-sbowl-Pizzapanini.jpg

20130131-239071-sbowl-Pizzapanini.jpg

[Photograph: Suzanne Lehrer]

This sandwich is like a giant, more party-friendly calzone that you can cut into neat slices. Grilling the pizza dough gives it amazing char and crispness; the perfect foil for the melty, cheesy insides. Take a crash course on all things grilled pizza here.

This version is vegetarian, but you can add cooked or cured meats to the vegetables. If using pre-made pizza crusts, try to even them out by cutting off the puffed-up edges so you can properly assemble the sandwich.

About the Author: Suzanne Lehrer is a writer and recipe developer in New York and a recipe editor for Cooking Channel. When not curating her budding hot sauce collection, she puts her French Culinary Institute education to good use in kitchens all around town. On twitter and instagram @suzerbruiser

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

Ingredients

  • For the Sundried Tomato Pesto
  • 1/2 cup oil-packed sundried tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup packed fresh basil
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
  • 1 medium clove garlic
  • About 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  •  
  • 10 ounces cremini or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, halved, sliced
  • 1 pound pizza dough
  • All-purpose flour, for rolling
  • 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing pizza
  • Kosher salt
  • 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced or shredded
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Procedures

  1. Combine tomatoes, basil, pine nuts, Parmesan and garlic in blender or food processor; pulse to combine. Add any oil tomatoes were packed in; blend again. Slowly drizzle in olive oil with motor running until desired thickness (it will depend on amount of oil from tomatoes).

  2. Preheat grill or grill pan to high heat. If using regular oven, preheat to 500 degrees F with pizza stone or upside-down baking sheet. Saute mushrooms and onions in 1 teaspoon oil until crispy and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

  3. Split pizza dough in half. Roll each half out as thinly as possible on floured surface. Brush grill grates lightly with oil. For pizza stone, scatter with cornmeal. Brush one side of dough with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Transfer to grill grates and grill until golden brown marks appear, about 3 minutes. Brush top with oil and sprinkle with salt; flip and cook remaining side. For pizza stone, brush top of dough with oil and sprinkle with salt; cook until crisp, about 6 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough half.

  4. Scatter cheese over one cooked dough. Top with dollops of pesto, mushrooms, onions and red pepper flakes. Cover with second dough. Return to cool side of grill and cover or return to grill pan off the heat and cover. For regular oven, lower temperature and return on baking sheet. Let cook until cheese is melted and pesto is heated through, about 5 minutes. Slice and serve hot.