GRILLED PIZZA WITH TUNA, RED PEPPERS & ONIONS
RED PEPPER PUREE
1 clove garlic; crushed & peeled
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 oz. jarred, roasted red peppers; drained, rinsed & sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
salt & freshly ground black pepper; to taste
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PIZZA & TOPPINGS
1 (6 1/2 oz.) can solid white tuna in water; drained & flaked
2 tablespoons capers; drained
4 tablespoons fresh parsley; chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil (extra-virgin preferred)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
6 oz. jarred, roasted red peppers; drained, rinsed & sliced
salt & freshly ground black pepper; to taste
2 red onions; sliced into 1/4-inch thick rings
1 lb Quick Pizza Dough (see recipe this page)
TO MAKE RED-PEPPER PUREE:
1. With a chef's knife, mash garlic and salt into a paste. Transfer to a blender or food processor. Add roasted red peppers and tomato paste; puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.
TO MAKE TOPPINGS & PIZZA:
1. Prepare the grill:
a) To cook pizzas on a charcoal grill, build a medium-hot fire in one half of the grill (Two bricks placed end-to-end work well as a divider).
b) For a gas grill with two burners, preheat one burner on high, leaving the other unlit.
c) For a single-burner gas grill, preheat on high and lower the flame to cook the second side of the pizzas.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine tuna, capers, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, oil, lemon juice and red pepper slices. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Grill onion slices until softened, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Break into rings and set aside.
4. Grill the pizzas as described in steps 1-4 below, spreading the just-turned crusts with the red-pepper puree, followed by the tuna mixture and onion rings.
5. Just before serving, scatter the remaining parsley over the top.
GRILLING STEPS:
Step 1. Roll out the pizza dough into 4 circles and place on a floured board. Bring the dough and chosen toppings to grillside.
Step 2. Place 2 of the dough circles on the hot side of the grill. Within 1 minute, the dough will puff slightly and the underside will firm up and be striped with grill marks. Immediately use tongs to flip the crusts over and onto the cooler side of the grill.
Step 3. Spread half of the toppings on the two crusts. Cover the grill and cook, rotating the pizzas once or twice, until toppings are heated through, about 5 minutes.
Step 4. Remove the pizzas from the grill. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings.
* CHEF'S NOTE: One 12-ounce jar of roasted peppers contains enough peppers for the puree and for sprinkling on top of the pizzas. This pizza has all the makings of a fine heart-healthy meal. Also, a vegetable-grilling rack - found at kitchenware stores - will keep the onions from falling through the spaces in the grill. For best results, preheat the rack for 10 minutes.
Yields 4 6-inch pizzas for 4 servings
CALORIES: 375; PROTEIN: 16g; FAT: 10g; CARBS: 57g; FIBER: 6g; CHOL: 12mg; SODIUM: 945mg.