Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Ben and I have been making pizzas together for almost seven years now (word!).  It’s one of the dishes we both really enjoy, and making a pie ourselves gives us the freedom to make it as healthy as we possibly can.  We were poor college roommates when we first started the tradition.  We’d buy those Jiffy packets of pizza dough and pile on the cheese and veggies.  Over the years, we’ve eliminated dairy (opting for goat cheese) and gotten a bit more brave with our toppings [think curry sauce and dates].  And the Jiffy packets of pizza dough are apparently only a mainland U.S. item, because we can’t find them anywhere on the island.  Which can only mean one thing: homemade pizza dough.

I have to admit: I have a serious aversion to bread-making. Not because I don’t like bread (really, I love it), but because the idea of having to measure ingredients precisely so that they create the perfect chemistry to rise – and then stay risen – completely terrifies me.

I have a really hard time sticking to recipes, but when it comes to breads I’ll follow directions to a T, for fear that I’ll make one small substitution and create an inedible mess.  I really appreciate the bread recipes from (neverhome)maker.com because they’re simple, easy to follow, and fit our diet.  I (barely) adapted their recipe to use more whole wheat flour and am happy to say that this one is a definite keeper!

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[Ingredients – yields two 14”ish pizza crusts ]

• 1Tbsp active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 c warm water (not hot, wrist temperature)
• 2 1/4 c whole wheat bread flour
• 1 c unbleached bread flour
• 1/4 c flaxmeal
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• pinch of salt

Whisk together the yeast and water in a small bowl until everything is well incorporated.  Let sit for about 5 minutes (until frothy – this means the yeast is doing it’s job!).

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours and flaxmeal.

Make a well in the center of the mixture and pour the yeast, olive oil, and salt into it.

Mix everything together with a rubber spatula until you find that you’re kneading it with your hands.  If the dough is really sticky, add a bit more flour – you’ll want to end with a smooth and elastic ball.

Lightly oil a large bowl, then transfer the dough ball into it (first place the ball inside the bowl, then flip over to get both sides lightly oiled).

Cut an X in the top of the dough (I’m not sure why, but it looks pretty cool), cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for about 2 hours.

[It expands quite a bit!]

Punch down the dough and cut into two pieces.

Work dough into a flat pizza crust on a lightly floured work surface.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees with your pizza stone inside (to preheat the stone as well).

Transfer dough onto the stone and cook for a few minutes, until the bottom is lightly browned (popping any air bubbles that form).

Flip the dough so that the cooked side is the side you’re placing your toppings on, then cook the pizza for another 15 minutes or until done to your liking.

[Veggies + Feta on Tomato Sauce] / [Mushrooms, Peppers, Onions + Goat Cheddar on BBQ Sauce(!)]

Enjoy! Makes 2 pizza doughs (about 14 inches each).

We made two batches at once, refrigerating the 2nd half of one batch for later in the week and freezing the other two dough balls in airtight bags.

When you use the frozen dough, make sure to defrost it first (don’t microwave it), and then follow the same steps.  We were just as satisfied with the frozen dough as the fresh ones. 🙂
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