Since the fall semester has started, we’ve been having homemade pizza pretty much weekly. After a long 3 days of classes, I just can’t wait to sink my hands into some sticky dough, kneading and rolling, banishing all thoughts pertaining to school. The cheesy, carby goodness that comes out of it later definitely doesn’t hurt, either.
It’s taken me a long time to find the perfect pizza dough to suit my tastes, containing mostly whole wheat flour, a good crust, and lots of flavor. Finally, finally, I’ve found that dough.
It contains mostly white whole wheat flour, but it has just a bit of all-purpose to ensure it rises perfectly and keeps the right amount of elasticity for rolling. 100% whole wheat doughs usually are a bit too dense for my tastes, although we’ve eaten plenty of those, too. I flavor the dough with garlic powder, onion powder, basil, oregano, and rosemary so that you want to eat that crust at the end – it can easily stand on its own.
This recipe makes enough dough for 2 pizzas, but I usually end up doubling it so that I can freeze half of it so we have some for later. I just throw it in the fridge the night before, and it’s all defrosted and ready for dinner that night. You can top this with your favorite toppings; we really like to make “white” pizzas with a garlic & herb oil base and topped with lots of our favorite veggies. Perfect for pizza night!!
What are your favorite pizza toppings?
- 3 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 2 Tbsp unrefined sugar or honey
- 4 1/2 tsp instant yeast (2 packets)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp basil
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp rosemary
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110ºF)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- cornmeal, for dusting
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl) with the dough hook attached, stir the flours, salt, sugar (if using honey, hold on to it for now), yeast, and seasonings together.
Combine the lukewarm water and olive oil together in a measuring cup (if using honey, add it now, stirring until it dissolves).
Slowly add the water to the flour mixture, and knead on low speed until the dough comes together (or knead with your hands for about 5 minutes). The dough will be slightly sticky.
Lightly spray some plastic wrap with olive oil, and cover the dough with the plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm place, and allow to rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
If using the dough right away, preheat the oven to 450ºF during the last 20 minutes of the rise.
Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release the air bubbles. Divide the dough in two equal pieces, and roll out each piece on a lightly floured surface into the shape of a pizza. Dust with cornmeal. Transfer to a pizza pan or stone.
Top with your favorite pizza toppings. Bake at 450ºF for 15-18 minutes, until browned on the edges. Allow to cool slightly before cutting and serving.
This recipe can easily be doubled, and you can freeze it, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months. To defrost, stick it in the fridge the night before wanting to use it. Allow to come to room temperature before rolling.
https://cookingalamel.com/2013/09/whole-wheat-garlic-and-herb-pizza-dough.html