Sunday, June 21, 2009

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

McHubby and I love cooking homemade pizza on the grill in the summertime. We’ve even made them for tailgates! We prefer using whole wheat pizza dough and roll it out to a thin crust that crisps up on the grill. The best part about making pizza dough is that you can use them immediately or save them in the fridge or freezer for a quick and easy meal later. Just top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

In this recipe, I used honey instead of sugar. You can bake these in the oven, but if cooking on the grill, be sure to use indirect to avoid burning the crust.

Ingredients
2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 packages dry active yeast
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
1 ½ cups lukewarm water from the tap
½ teaspoon olive oil
Flour for the work surface
Sprinkling of cornmeal

Directions
Place flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a mixer fitted with a dough hook. While mixer is running, gradually add water and knead on low speed until dough is firm and smooth, about ten minutes. Turn machine off.

Pour oil down inside of bowl. Turn on low once more for 15 seconds to coat inside of bowl and all surfaces of dough with the oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm spot until doubled in bulk, about two hours.

Preheat your oven to highest setting, 500° or 550°F. If using a pizza stone, place stone in oven on bottom rack, preheat oven one hour ahead. Punch dough down, cut in half. On generously floured work surface, place one half of dough.

By hand, form dough loosely into a ball, stretch into a circle. Using a floured rolling pin, roll dough into large circle until very thin. Don't worry if your circle isn't perfect and if you get a hole; just pinch edges back together.

To prevent dough from sticking to counter, turn dough over, add flour to dough, counter and rolling pin as needed. Sprinkle pizza peel or cookie sheet generously with cornmeal. Transfer dough to pizza peel or cookie sheet with no lip. Add toppings.

Slide dough onto pizza stone or place cookie sheet with pizza on bottom rack. Bake 10–12 minutes or until golden. To remove pizza from oven stone, slide cookie sheet under dough onto another cookie sheet, slice and serve immediately.

Roll out remaining dough and top with desired toppings or freeze in freezer bags.

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