Homemade Pizza Dough

Our favorite Friday recipe comes in part from the book The Earth Bound Cook. The crust recipe is adapted from theirs. Then I add tomato sauce with a sprinkle of garlic salt mixed in. Next,  a mix of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese with a pinch of oregano and basil stirred in. The crust recipe yields two thick or three thinner crusts. The kids spread the sauce and cheese on theirs and then I add  veggies like green peppers, onions, olives and/or mushrooms to one of the pizzas for the grown ups. The result? Everyone is happy (even when I sometimes sneak shredded spinach into the sauce. Shhh. Don’t tell.)

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Ingredients

2 Packets Active Dry Yeast (I use Hodgsons Mill. I find it works best with whole grain flour.)

2 T Sugar

1 3/4 cups warm water

3 T Olive Oil (plus some for bowl)

1 3/4 C whole wheat flour (I love King Arthur Flour)

1 1/2 C white flour (plus some for dusting)

1T salt

Procedure (I use a stand mixer but it can all be done by hand too)

1. Place yeast and sugar in mixer bowl. Add warm water and cover with towel until foams. (3-5 mins)

2. Stir in flours alternating 1/2 cup at a time. Stir by hand.

3. Add salt and remaining flour and mix on speed two for about two minutes or until dough ball is formed.

4. Remove dough to clean surface. Coat hands in flour as dough will still be a bit sticky. Knead dough for about five minutes (adding flour as needed to keep from sticking) until smooth.

5. Return to bowl. Lightly coat with olive oil and cover with a towel to rise for about an hour.

6.When dough has doubled in size, punch down and divide into two or three parts.

7. Flour your hands and work each section into a ball. Use or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or freeze for two months.