Healthy Homemade Whole Wheat Pizza
Serves 2-3, twice: This recipe makes enough dough for two or three pizzas, depending on how thick you like your crust. Unused dough can be stored, loosely covered, in the fridge for up to a week. It will rise, even in the fridge, so use a large container.
Servings: 2 pizzas
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1/8 cup vital wheat gluten or an extra 1/8 cup flour
- 1 packet yeast or 3/4 tablespoon
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
- 1 tablespoon onion salt
- 1 3/4 cups warm water
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place your pizza stone or a baking sheet in the middle rack of the oven, and preheat to 500°F or 550°F, for at least 25 minutes. (Be careful not to accidentally turn it to "Broil" mode.)
- Add all dry ingredients to a mixing bowl. If you have a stand mixer, use a paddle or dough hook. If mixing by hand, a wooden spoon should suffice. While mixing slowly, slowly pour in the warm water and olive oil. The dough should mix to a sticky, gooey consistency, but not be runny. Adjust with a little more flour or water as necessary.
- Scrape dough into a large container and allow to rise for 15 to 60 minutes. (If you don't want to wait, you certainly don't have to!) We use this time to prep and chop all our toppings, so they're ready to go as soon as the dough is rolled out.
- Sprinkle a liberal amount of flour on a clean counter top and on your hands. Tear off a chunk of dough about the size of a softball. If you're already an advanced pizza maker, and can toss the dough, by all means go for it. Instead, here's what I do: Form it into a ball and then place on the floured surface. Using a rolling pin (or wine bottle, in a pinch), roll the dough into a 12" round(ish) shape. It doesn't have to be a perfect circle, but it is a little easier to get in and out of the oven if it's somewhat round.
- Sprinkle more flour on a pizza peel, and spread it around to be sure it's an even layer. Transfer the rolled dough to the peel. Spoon tomato (or other) sauce onto the dough, then add whatever cheese and toppings you wish.
- Gently shake the peel forward and back to be sure the pizza slides easily. If not, use a spatula to un-stick it and sprinkle some extra flour underneath. This is important -- you don't want your pizza to end up as a blob of dough and toppings at the bottom of your oven as you try to slide it onto the pizza stone.
- Gently transfer the pizza to the hot pizza stone, coaxing the back edge of the pizza off the peel and onto the back section of the stone. Carefully pull the pizza peel back towards you, jiggling as necessary, to place the entire pizza on the stone.
- Bake for 12 minutes, then carefully check for doneness. The center should not be soggy, and the bottom should be crispy all the way across. If not done, bake a few minutes longer and check again.
- Use the peel to carefully lift the pizza off the stone. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a cutting board. Slice and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 787kcal | Carbohydrates: 152g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 3493mg | Potassium: 319mg | Fiber: 22g | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 6mg