Pat: If you haven’t figured this out by now, in Memphis we find a way to barbecue everything. One day Tony and I turned our attention to flatbread and—surprise, surprise—we came up with a recipe for barbecue pizza! We make ours with a crispy grilled crust, sautéed onions and peppers, and barbecue sauce, and then top the whole thing with one of our favorite cooked meats. It’s a Neely game-time staple, because the dough and toppings can be made hours in advance, so the pizzas can be assembled in minutes and popped into the oven. Don’t be intimidated by the crust—our homemade dough is easy to make and a great project to work on with your kids. In our house, it’s not a pizza party until everyone is dusted with flour.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　

Pizza dough

1 package active dry yeast

　　1 1/2 cups warm water (105 to 115°F)

　　1 teaspoon honey

　　3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing

　　1 tablespoon kosher salt

　　3 1/2 cups bread flour

　　

Pizza

2 tablespoons olive oil

　　1 small onion, thinly sliced

　　1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced

　　2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

　　1 cup Neely’s Barbecue Sauce (page 25)

　　2 cups chopped cooked pork, beef, or chicken

　　One 8 ounce package shredded mozzarella

　　1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

　　

Step 1

Place the yeast, warm water, and honey in a small bowl, and stir to dissolve. When the yeast mixture is foamy, stir in the olive oil and salt.

　　

Step 2

Place the flour and the yeast mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the dough hook, mix at low speed for about 8 minutes, then increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough is elastic and starting to pull away from the sides of the bowl, about 3 minutes. The dough should be smooth and firm. Ball up the dough, and place it in a large, well oiled glass bowl. Flip the dough ball to coat both sides with oil. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft free area for 2 hours, until doubled in bulk.

　　

Step 3

Lightly flour a large cutting board or baking sheet. Divide the dough into four equal pieces, shape each into a ball, and allow the pieces to rest for 20 more minutes before cooking.

　　

Step 4

When you’re ready to cook the pizza, preheat the grill to high and the oven to 425°F.

　　

Step 5

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic, and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a glass bowl.

　　

Step 6

Lightly flour a work surface, and roll out the four balls of dough into 6 inch circles that are 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick. Brush each round of dough with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and place on grill. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side. Flip, and cook for 1 more minute. Transfer the grilled crusts to a sheet tray, and repeat with the other dough balls.

　　

Step 7

To assemble the pizzas, spread 1/4 cup of barbecue sauce evenly on each pizza, then top with 1/2 cup of chopped meat and a quarter of the sautéed vegetables. Sprinkle each pizza with a handful of mozzarella and a few pinches of grated Parmesan. Bake the pizzas for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

　　Cooks' Note

　　If you don’t want to pregrill the crusts, simply top the dough with the toppings as described above and bake for an additional 6 to 8 minutes, or until the dough is crisp and the cheese is bubbly and melted. You’ll lose that char grilled goodness, but your final results will be just as crisp.

　　From Down Home with the Neelys by Patrick and Gina Neely Copyright (c) 2009 by Patrick and Gina Neely Published by Knopf.Patrick and Gina Neely are owners of Neely's Bar-B-Que in Memphis and hosts of several Food Network shows, including the series Down Home with the Neelys, one of the highest-rated programs to debut on the popular Food Network. High school sweethearts who reconciled at their ten-year reunion, they have been married since 1994. They live in Memphis with their two daughters.Paula Disbrowe collaborated with Susan Spicer on Crescent City Cooking and is the author of Cowgirl Cuisine.