Grilled pizza was introduced to the country by Al Forno in Providence, Rhode Island. CHRIS AYERS AND AMY BRIESCH
Grilled pizza has antecedents in South American flatbread cookery, but it was introduced to the United States by accident. In 1980, the proprietors of Al Forno restaurant in Providence, Rhode Island, misunderstood a recipe that called for a brick oven and used their grill instead. The result was a huge success and put the restaurant on every foodie’s radar; the popularity of grilling in general in the late twentieth century buoyed its fortune in other restaurants as well.
Grilling is a favorite technique for home pizzaioli, who frequently make grilled pizza with store-bought crusts (thus avoiding the risk of too-floppy dough dripping through the grill grate). Grilled pizza is thin and very well oiled, topped with minimal ingredients.