Cheese Pizza with Grilled Vegetables

Makes one 12 to 14-inch pizza

This pizza is an easy and absolutely delicious main dish, served hot or room temperature. It also make wonderful appetizers if cut into small pieces, or the topping can be spread on bruschetta instead of pizza crust. If desired, other vegetables, such as bell peppers, can be added. The recipe can easily be doubled to make two pizzas. See the notes below if you want to use an outdoor grill.

Ingredients

• Pizza dough or prebaked crust for one 12 to 14-inch pizza, store-bought or homemade (see the similar and related recipes)
• 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 4 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, gently squeezed to remove seeds and excess juice
• 4 large cloves garlic, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 ounce mozzarella cheese, crumbled
• 2 ounces ricotta salata cheese, crumbled (see notes below)
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Romano cheese
• Olive oil

To grill the vegetables, lightly rub or spray a grill pan with olive oil, removing excess. Heat over high heat. Add the onions and garlic, in batches if necessary. Grill until slightly softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes, adjusting heat as needed. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Remove from pan. Add the tomatoes to the pan and grill until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set aside. Purée the garlic in a small food processor, or mash with a fork.

Preheat oven to 450° F. (If using a prebaked crust, follow the package instructions for baking.) Place the tomatoes on pizza dough, smashing slightly with hands in process. Top with the onions and garlic. Press down with fingers. Season with the oregano, parsley, salt and pepper. Then top with the cheeses in the order given. Drizzle the top with a little olive oil. Bake according to the dough recipe or the directions for the packaged crust. If desired, place under a hot broiler for about 1 minute to lightly brown. Let rest for about 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Notes: Some mozzarella cheese does not crumble well and can be grated. If you cannot find ricotta salata, feta or a mild goat cheese can be substituted, or just use all mozzarella. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese can be used in place of the Romano. If you prefer to use an outdoor grill, use a pan for the onions and garlic, but grill the tomatoes directly on the grates that have been well oiled. The unbaked dough can be grilled and then topped with the vegetables and grilled, covered, just until the cheese melts.