Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Posted by Erin Wilburn / 7 comments » / bread, csa, pizza

We don’t eat pizza often, and we especially don’t order pizza often. If I’m going to indulge a little I still like to exert some control over it. That’s why I’d prefer to make my own pizza, and top it with WHATEVER I want! Not only do I like the health benefits of a wheat crust, I prefer a good wheaty pizza crust. I’ve tried a couple other recipes, but this one is definitely the best one so far. This recipe is from All Recipes, and I read a couple of the reviewers’ advice and used all whole wheat flour. I actually used white whole wheat flour, as I’ve found I really like the flavor and texture of it for bread recipes. I also split this dough into two balls. One I wrapped and froze for later use, and one I baked immediately. Both made delicious Sunday dinners!

Because I split them into two portions, I was able to roll them out thin. These baked up perfectly on my pizza stone. The crust was crisp on the outside but definitely still chewy. You could always not separate this, and use it for one pizza if you want a thicker crust. First I’ll give you the dough recipe, then I’ll explain the various toppings I’ve done.

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Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

adapted from All Recipes

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon honey
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons italian seasoning
1 tsp fennel seeds (optional)

Directions:

In a large bowl, dissolve honey in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.

Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then mix in 3 cups of flour, italian seasoning, and fennel seeds until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining 1/2 cup flour, and knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 2 pieces for 2 thin crust, or leave whole to make one thick crust. Form into a tight ball. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further. Then, drape it over both of your fists, and gently pull the edges outward, while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size, place on a well oiled pizza pan. Top pizza with your favorite toppings, such as sauce, cheese, meats, or vegetables.

Bake for 16 to 20 minutes (depending on thickness) in the preheated oven, until the crust is crisp and golden at the edges, and cheese is melted on the top.

And here are some different flavor combos I’ve done: