Heat it up outside

Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet recently introduced the
Outdoor Artisan Pizza Oven, offering Old World-quality pizza in your
own backyard or patio.

Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet recently introduced the Outdoor Artisan Pizza Oven, offering Old World-quality pizza in your own backyard or patio.

KOG updated this classic, Italian design for worry-free outdoor use. The new pizza oven is hand-fabricated entirely of stainless steel, with a double-wall, insulated design. It will be great for fall get-togethers, alumni homecoming events after a big college game, or even Super Bowl parties – and then again next spring when the grilling season kicks into full gear again. It can make thick or thin crust, pan pizza or stuffed, along with calzones or artisan bread.

Lined with a composite baking stone and topped by an arched roof, the pizza oven was modelled after ovens found across Italy. The stone delivers superior heat transfer characteristics and the low, arched top reflects radiant heat back to the pizza for even baking. The convenience of the 30,000 BTU stainless steel gas burner means the oven is always at the ready, while the integrated wood-chip drawer imparts the flavour of a wood-fired pizza oven.

Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet designs and builds innovative professional-grade outdoor entertaining equipment. For more information on the company, call toll-free at 800-868-1699, or visit the website at www.kalamazoogourmet.com .•

Grilled Sausage, Rosemary and Roasted Garlic Pizza
Preparation Time: 60 minutes • Grill Time: 10 minutes

The simple, rustic flavours of this pizza from the culinary team at Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet may put your competition out of business. Make it with your own signature dough, or try using Chef Ashley Hagenmeyer’s dough recipe.
 
Ingredients:
1 Pizza dough for 12-inch crust.
2 sausages of your choice (we like chicken basil garlic sausage)
1 head of garlic
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup fresh buffalo mozzarella
1 cup fresh grape tomatoes cut in half
Pinch coarse sea salt
Flour and cornmeal to keep the crust from sticking
Extra virgin olive oil
Wood chunks (hickory or cherry are ideal)

Instructions:
• Set all ingredients out, including crust, and let rise to room temperature.

• Place pizza stone on grill in an indirect cooking zone, and preheat for one hour at 500 F.

• While pizza stone is heating, roast the garlic and cook the sausage on the grill. Do this early in the process so that the cooked sausage and roasted garlic are cool enough to handle as the hour winds down.

• Plan to have the wood chunks burning in the grilling drawers, side-mounted smoker box, or smoking tray as the hour winds down.

• With 15 minutes of the pre-heat time remaining, thinly slice the sausages, chop the rosemary, cut the tomatoes in halves         or quarters, and squeeze the roasted garlic out of the skins.

• On a lightly floured board, use a rolling pin to roll out the pizza dough or stretch and shape it with your hands until it is approximately 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick. Transfer the crust to a pizza peel that you have sprinkled with cornmeal.

• Lightly brush the crust with olive oil.

• Spread roasted garlic evenly across the crust.

• Add the rosemary, sausage and tomatoes; top with cheese. Do not overload the crust.

• With the wood chunks just beginning to burn and smoke, transfer the pizza to the pizza stone, sliding it off the pizza peel. Close the hood and cook for about five minutes at 500 F.

• Use grill tongs to rotate the pizza one-half turn, then close the hood and continue cooking for about another five minutes.

• Use the pizza peel and grill tongs to transfer the pizza from the pizza stone back to the peel.

• Slice, serve and enjoy.

NOTE: Do not let the grill temperature exceed 600F while cooking the pizza, or it will burn. Avoid putting the pizza stone over direct heat, and always place a cool pizza stone into a cool grill.