Fresh flavors of summer come alive on this cool and crisp cucumber and herb pizza. A grilled crust is the base for this mouth-watering light and healthy summer treat. Prepared on the grill, the crust brings a slightly smokey wood fired oven flavor to this dish. Great as an appetizer or a meal, try this one at your next backyard grilling party. Your friends will never see this one coming.

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Cucumber and Herb Grilled Crust Pizza

Fresh flavors of summer come alive on this cool and crisp cucumber and herb pizza. A grilled crust is the base for this mouth-watering light and healthy summer treat.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American, Retro

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoon Ricotta cheese
• 1 Tablespoon Greek yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon chives finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon dill finely chopped plus more for garnish
• 1 Tablespoon basil finely chopped, plus more for garnish
• 1 Tablespoon parsley finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon thyme finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon mint finely chopped (optional)
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 cucumber thinly sliced
• ¼ cup grape tomatoes quartered
• pizza dough

Instructions

• Mix the cheese, yogurt, herbs, and salt & pepper. Taste, and adjust to liking.
• Slice cucumber and tomato.
• Roll dough out and place on a baking sheet to take to your grill.
• Heat grill on high and brush to clean.
• Reduce heat to medium high heat, Wipe the grill with an oiled cloth or paper towel.
• Place dough directly on grill (once the dough has been placed on the grill, do not attempt to move it other than to turn it).
• Grill for about 2 to 3 minutes per side turning only once. I pay attention more to the dough than the time. The crust will bubble and you can watch for some color to appear around the edges. Flip using a pizza paddle or large spatula.
• Remove the grilled crust and allow to cool.
• Spread the crust with the herbed cheese mixture, arrange cucumbers and tomatoes, and garnish with some more fresh herbs.
• Serve at room temperature.

Notes

Here is my easy recipe for Pizza Dough.  Dough can be divided and frozen in freezer bags so all you have to do is thaw and use.

Yesterday was one of those days where things just did not go quite as planned. The day began in a normal peaceful manner. I enjoyed having my coffee and listening to the birds sing, catching up on the news, and working on a post to share. Knowing I had some errands to run that would keep me away most of the day, I planned on making a pizza for dinner. That would be easy. I knew I had some odds and ends to use up after having company last weekend. (Seems to always be the case after I feed a bunch of folks). I had a frozen pizza dough that I had made a few weeks ago in the freezer, so I moved it to the fridge where it would be waiting for me upon my return.

I decided to treat myself to a full service car wash. The long winter months, and my neglect had wreaked havoc on the interior of the car, so I felt justified with the expense of this lavish treat. Like a little kid, I ran from window to window to watch the car being pulled through the soapy roller-coaster of brushes. The sun danced on the glistening vehicle which seemed proud to be lined up in the parade of shiny cars waiting for their final detailing. As I stood watching the young people aerobically polish the cars from top to bottom, it appeared that mine was in the lane with the least ambitious employees on duty. With the wave of a towel a young man signaled that the car was ready. But wait! They did not vacuum! The main purpose of this visit!  After a conversation with the crew leader, they made good and completed the detailing, but my quick trip to the car wash had now turned into more than an hour.

Across town I got stuck in traffic for another hour, only to find that the roads were completely closed where I was trying to go.  By now the day had turned to late afternoon and my last good nerve was shot. It was right then that I made the corporate decision to head home and have an icy cold beer.

Back in the safety of my kitchen, with an adult beverage in hand, I was able to think about the pizza.

Making pizza at home is an easy and cost-effective way to use up the “odds and ends” in the fridge, giving new life to leftovers that might otherwise be overlooked. I can almost always find ingredients that can be used for toppings without a trip to the store. By shredding that small bit of chicken or roast, thinly slicing the last part of a steak, or crumbling up a grilled burger from the night before, there is very little that can not be reborn on a pizza. Remember a small amount goes along way. Six to eight ounces of meat on a pizza is plenty, the goal here is to use up the last bits.

I found in my fridge, one grilled hamburger patty, a bit of red and green pepper previously prepped for a salad, some onion, four mushrooms and cheese. Perfect!

I rolled out my thawed pizza dough and spread about three tablespoons of red sauce edge to edge using the back of my spoon. I keep a jar of prepared pasta sauce in the fridge just for this purpose. Next I sprinkled my ingredients evenly over the pie, finishing it off with the cheese.

Pizza cooks best in a hot oven, 425° F. Make sure the oven is hot before you place your pizza. Bake it for about 12 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling.

At the table I don’t think anyone you serve your pizza to would know that it was a leftover (unless you want them to), and what a simple way to make an easy, delicious, and nutritious dinner.