ERIC BOST IS feeling the heat. It’s dinner service at Wildland, the expansive restaurant he co-owns in Carlsbad, California. His wood-fired oven—its furnace-like temps can reach upwards of 900°F—is blasting out pizzas topped with maitake mushrooms, Broccolini, and arugula pistachio pesto. “It’s giving people something they already know, but in a surprising way,” he says.
“Surprising” because, yes, Bost is topping his pies with ingredients you might otherwise find at a Whole Foods salad bar. But also because he’s building some of the best pizza in the country by leaning on his background in fine dining.
Bost has two other Carlsbad-area restaurants, Jeune et Jolie and Lilo, both with Michelin stars. And he’s not the only capital-C chef who has recently traded tweezers for pizza peels. In the process, this new class of professional chefs turned dough slingers is making the whole pizza-eating experience a little bit healthier. They’re lightening up on the cheese, going heavy on the vegetables, and trading pepperoni for stronger proteins.
You don’t need to visit Wildland to taste this better-for-you American Pizza Revolution. (But really, you should.) Because you can re-create the recipes in your own backyard, all summer long, whether you have a dedicated pizza oven or a plain ol’ grill.
Call it a pizza party.
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Ingredients
- 2 c. Broccolini, chopped
- 1 c. maitake mushrooms, cut in pieces
- 3/4 c. cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 c. heavy cream
- 1 c. plus 1/3 cup loosely packed grated Parmesan
- 1/2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
- 1 (13-oz) dough ball, at room temp
- 1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp. finely chopped chives
- Zest from 1/2 lemon
Directions
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- Step 1Preheat your grill to high, indirect heat, with the lid closed. (You want to hit a temp of at least 600°F.)
- Step 2In a medium pot of salted water, boil the Broccolini al dente, 2 to 3 minutes. Shock in an ice bath, drain, and dry. Set aside.
- Step 3In a small bowl, toss the mushrooms with the olive oil and salt, to taste. In a large pan over medium-high, brown the mushrooms, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
- Step 4In a small pot over medium heat, bring the heavy cream to a rolling simmer, stirring to prevent scorching. Transfer the cream to a blender, cover, and turn on low. Carefully remove the cover’s insert and gradually add the 1 cup Parmesan until smooth. Add the sherry vinegar, blend briefly, and then transfer to a small bowl to cool. Set aside.
- Step 5On a lightly floured peel, stretch the dough to just over 14 inches. Slide the dough over direct heat and grill, lid open, turning with tongs every 15 to 20 seconds, for about 1 minute. Using tongs, flip the pie and slide over indirect heat; add some cheese sauce (you’ll have leftovers), shrooms, and Broccolini. Close the grill lid and cook till the toppings are done, about 1 minute. Using tongs, slide the pizza back over direct heat and grill, rotating it every 15 to 20 seconds, 1 minute more.
- Step 6Using a peel, transfer the pizza to a work surface and finish with the 1/3 cup Parmesan, garlic slices, chives, lemon zest, and a brush of olive oil around the crust.
Sal Vaglica is a freelance writer covering home, lawn and garden, tech, tools, and outdoor products since 2006 for This Old House, Serious Eats, The Wall Street Journal, Veranda, Wired, Men’s Health, and others.
