This is some of the best pizza dough I've ever made (thanks to John for giving me the recipe from Cooking Light 2004) and it's really easy too. I had been getting the pre-made dough from Trader Joe's, but it didn't seem to cook all the way through. I got fed up and decided to look for a good homemade recipe, and this one was sent in an email to me. I tried it out, and it's great. It bakes evenly, it has a nice flavor, and it rises really well. This dough makes the kind of crust that you want to dip in sauce after you're done with the pizza. When I made the pizza pictured, I added onions, mushrooms, garlic, mozzarella, and goat cheese. It was delicious. Even better, you can make as much dough as you want and just separate it out into individual balls of dough before you let it rise, and then freeze it to use later. See below for complete freezing instructions. And I suggest you load up your pizza with fresh Spring produce from your local farmer's market! Just take a stroll and see what's in season to get inspiration. You may even be able to find local cheese to put on top.Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
1 pkg dry yeast (about 2 1/4 tsp)
1/4 tsp sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water (100-110degrees)
-Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water in a large bowl; let stand
5 minutes.
2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 cup whole wheat flour (you can substitute more wheat flour for less
white flour--up to maybe a cup or two)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
-Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a
knife. Add 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, wheat flour, oil, and salt
to yeast mixture; stir until well blended. Turn dough out onto a
floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes);
add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent
dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).
Note: If you want to freeze any, do so now (see below for instructions).
Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to
coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from
drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two
fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)
Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Divide in half; roll
each dough half into a 12-inch circle on a floured surface.
Top as desired and bake at 500 degrees for 15 minutes or until
browned. You can use a normal baking sheet, but Charlie got me a pizza
stone and it's great--I can load up on toppings and not worry about
whether the dough will cook all the way through in the center.
To freeze, follow directions for kneading dough. Before rising,
shape into 2 balls. Coat with cooking spray, and place in freezer in
a zip-top plastic bag. To use dough, thaw overnight in refrigerator.
Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 1
1/2 hours or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into
dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Shape as
instructed.
Yield: 2 (12 to 16-inch) pizza crusts.
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