03. Judging Doughs’ Doneness

Flatbreads like those for pizza and naan grill up beautifully. The doughs for these thin breads cook quickly (1 to 3 minutes) and develop a wide area of crisp crust. We prefer to grill flatbreads directly on a hot grill grate to expose the dough to as much flame as possible. But you can also use a perforated grill rack, which acts more like a baking sheet. To grill topped flatbreads like pizza, you grill the dough on one side before adding the toppings. Then you flip the dough, put the toppings on the grilled side, and slide the dough back onto the grill to brown the underside. Covering the grill is essential to bring heat to the cheese on top so it will melt. You can also grill thicker flatbreads like focaccia without flipping them. The process is more like grill-baking because you use a perforated baking sheet and cover the grill to trap the heat, as in an oven.