Breakfast Pizza — The Joy of Making Something with Your Hands and Knowing It’s Good

The food Instagram account — which started as "Jake posts photos of pierogi" — has become something I didn't plan for. Beyond the follower count, it's become a community. Polish-American people DM me stories about their grandmothers. Young guys DM me asking how to start cooking. Home brewers ask about my recipes. People in Bay View recognize me at the farmers' market and say, "You're the pierogi guy!" which is simultaneously flattering and mildly terrifying. I'm the pierogi guy. There are worse things to be. A Milwaukee magazine — one of the glossy ones that covers dining and culture — emailed me asking for an interview. They're doing a piece on "Milwaukee's Next Food Generation" and want to include me. I said yes. The interview is next week. I don't own dress clothes. I asked Mom what to wear and she said, "Wear what you wear, Jake. You're a brewer, not a banker." Fair. Flannel it is. At the brewery, the Kowalski Lager test batch is ready. I tasted it Wednesday and it's exactly what I wanted: clean, crisp, a whisper of honey, the faintest hop bitterness. It tastes like a beer your grandfather would drink. It tastes like the kind of beer that goes with pierogi — not competing, not overpowering, just... accompanying. Marcus agreed. "This could be a year-round," he said. Year-round. That's the goal. A beer that doesn't rotate off the board. A beer that stays. Father's Day is next week. I'm already planning. Last year was potato pancakes and kielbasa for breakfast, brake pads in the garage. This year I want to do something at the brewery — bring Dad in, give him the behind-the-scenes tour I've never properly given him, let him taste everything straight from the tanks. Let him see what his kid does every day. Cooked a simple thing this week that turned out extraordinary: grilled pizza on the Weber. Dough from scratch (flour, water, yeast, olive oil, salt), stretched thin, grilled directly on the grates for two minutes per side, then topped with fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, basil, and a drizzle of olive oil. The crust had a smoky char that no oven can replicate. I made three and ate two. The third went to Mike. I'm cooking with joy. Not duty, not grief, not tradition — though those are all still there, woven in — but genuine, uncomplicated joy. The kind Babcia had when she hummed in her kitchen. The kind that comes from making something with your hands and knowing it's good.

The week had been full — the magazine interview, the Kowalski Lager finally hitting exactly the note I’d been chasing, Father’s Day plans taking shape in my head — and when Friday rolled around I just wanted to cook something with my hands and feel it come together. Grilling pizza on the Weber turned into the most satisfying thing I’d made in months: a breakfast-style pie loaded with egg, cheese, and fresh toppings, crust blistered directly on the grates the way no oven can pull off. It’s the kind of recipe that rewards presence — you have to watch it, flip it at the right moment, trust your instincts — and right now that’s exactly the kind of cooking I need.

Breakfast Pizza

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb pizza dough (homemade or store-bought), brought to room temperature
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for grates
• 1/2 cup pizza sauce or crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella
• 4 oz fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup cooked and crumbled breakfast sausage or bacon (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• Fresh basil leaves, for finishing
• Flaky sea salt, for finishing

Instructions

1. Prep the grill. Heat a gas or charcoal grill (like a Weber) to medium-high, around 450°F. Clean the grates well and brush lightly with olive oil using tongs and a folded paper towel.
2. Stretch the dough. On a lightly floured surface, stretch or roll the dough into a rough 12-inch round, about 1/4-inch thick. Don’t stress about perfection — rustic edges are part of the charm.
3. Grill the first side. Brush the top of the dough with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Carefully lay it oiled-side down onto the hot grates. Grill uncovered for 2–3 minutes until the bottom is set with grill marks and the top begins to bubble. Brush the exposed top with the remaining olive oil.
4. Flip and top. Using tongs, flip the crust grilled-side up. Quickly spread the pizza sauce across the surface, then scatter the shredded mozzarella. Arrange the fresh mozzarella pieces and cherry tomatoes, then add the sausage or bacon if using.
5. Add the eggs. Create 4 small wells in the toppings and crack one egg into each well. Season everything with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
6. Close the lid and finish cooking. Close the grill lid and cook for 5–7 minutes, until the egg whites are just set (yolks can stay slightly runny), the cheese is bubbling, and the crust edges are deeply golden with a satisfying char.
7. Rest and finish. Slide the pizza off the grates onto a cutting board. Let it rest for 2 minutes. Scatter fresh basil leaves over the top, finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Slice and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 480 | Protein: 22g | Fat: 21g | Carbs: 48g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 720mg