Buckwheat Pizza with Cilantro Pesto, Jack Cheese and Grilled Shrimp

This was our first time ever grilling a pizza. The result was such that I was left wondering why, oh why, did it take me so long to grill a pizza.

The crust was the most crispy result I have ever had. The toppings would not wilt the crust, making it easy to handle and delicious. Great grill smoke flavors really elevated this. I'll be doing this again in the future!

BUCKWHEAT FLATBREAD
1 ¼ cups warm water (105F to 115F)
1 teaspoon dried yeast
1 pinch sugar
1 ¼-1 ¾ cup flour, plus more for rolling
¾ cup buckwheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

CILANTRO PESTO
¾ cup cilantro
¼ cup parsley
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

GRILLED SHRIMP
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
cilantro, chopped

DOUGH
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the water, yeast and sugar. Mix for 1 minute on low speed, then let sit until the mixture just begins to bubble, about 5 minutes. Attach the dough hook and add 1 1/4 cups of the flour, the buckwheat flour and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix on high speed until the dough forms a mass, 2 to 3 minutes; the dough should be sticky. Add up to 1/2 cup additional flour if necessary for a dough dry enough to roll out.

Divide the dough into quarters, roll into balls and lightly brush with the oil. Place on a floured surface and cover the balls loosely with plastic wrap and a clean cloth. Let rise 2 hours at room temperature, or place on a lightly greased baking sheet or in 4 medium bowls, cover, and let rise in the refrigerator overnight.

PESTO
Combine the cilantro, parsley, garlic and pumpkin seeds in a food processor or blender and process until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and process until the mixture is smooth. Add the cheese, salt and pepper and process for a few seconds longer until combined. If the mixture appears too pasty, add a few tablespoons of water to thin it slightly. The pesto can be made up to 1 day in advance, covered, and kept refrigerated.

SHRIMP
Heat your grill to high.

To form the flatbreads, pat each piece of dough out on a lightly-floured surface and sprinkle liberally with flour. Roll each disk into an 8" circle. Prick the dough liberally with a fork to keep it from rising. Brush both sides of the dough with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season with 1 tablespoon of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the pepper.

Grill the flatbreads until they are golden brown on each side, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and set aside for the moment.

Brush the shrimp with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side until slightly charred and just cooked through. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.

Spread 2 tablespoons of the pesto over each flatbread and divide the cheese on top of the pesto. Arrange the shrimp on top of the cheese and place the flatbreads back on the grill. Close the cover of the grill or cover the flatbreads loosely with foil and cook until the cheese has melted and the dough is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the grill and garnish with fresh cilantro before serving.