Wednesday, January 16, 2008

The Dough That Wowed

I have a deep love for pizza. I could probably eat it every day and never get sick of it just because the toppings can be changed up so many different ways. And since I refuse to give up my love of pizza in attempt to be healthier I decided I needed to come up with a healthier dough recipe. Initially I wanted a recipe that contained 100% whole wheat flour but I found this recipe and fell in love.


This evening I made the 1 pound ball of dough and divided it up into 2 personal pizzas that had a 9.5" diameter. Why did I make 2 pizzas you ask? Well, if you read my blog enough you probably already know that I love mushrooms and my husband absolutely hates them. So in order to make Mr. Spoiled and myself happy, I made two. It worked out perfectly because I had chicken, spinach and mushrooms on mine and he had chicken and pepperoni on his.


I love this recipe for two reasons. The first reason is that it is so darn easy to make. Plop a few ingredients into the food processor turn it on, go let the dog in that it crazily barking at the door because he is impatient, turn it off, and bam you have pizza dough. The second reason why I love this dough is because I have instant gratification. Instead of having to let the dough rise for an hour or longer I just have to let it set for about 15 minutes and then it is ready and roaring to go. Seriously, besides going out and buying a tube of refrigerated pizza dough, how much easier could it be?


Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough
(Source: EatingWell.com)

To make 12 ounces dough:
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 package quick-rising yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons), such as Fleischmann's RapidRise
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2-2/3 cup hot water (120-130°F)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

To make 1 pound dough:
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 package quick-rising yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons), such as Fleischmann's RapidRise
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup hot water (120-130°F)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1. Combine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix. Combine hot water and oil in a measuring cup. With the motor running, gradually pour in enough of the hot liquid until the mixture forms a sticky ball. The dough should be quite soft. If it seems dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water; if too sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour. Process until the dough forms a ball, then process for 1 minute to knead.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Coat a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it, sprayed-side down, over the dough. Let the dough rest for 10 to 20 minutes before rolling.
3. Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet on the lowest oven rack;preheat oven to 500°F or highest setting. Roll and top the pizza as desired(we suggest a 13-inch circle) and bake the pizza until the bottom is crisp and golden, 10 to 14 minutes. Serve immediately

Make Ahead Tip: Store in a plastic bag coated with cooking spray in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before using.

Nutrition Information:
- Per 12 ounces: 766 calories; 12 g fat (2 g sat, 8 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 142 g carbohydrate; 26 g protein; 16 g fiber; 1,882 mg sodium.
- Per 1 pound: 1,032 calories; 18 g fat (3 g sat, 12 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 189 g carbohydrate; 33 g protein; 21 g fiber; 2,509 mg sodium.

20 comments:

Ally said...

Yum Amber, they look great!

Jaime said...

i have yet to try my hand at pizza dough! i love the simplicity of this recipe...

Anonymous said...

Yum, I haven't made pizza in a while. I actually boycotted all pizza for a bit more than a year b/c of getting extremely sick on it, but I'm eazing my way back to eating it. Couple questions about the recipe...I only have a small food processor which I don't think would hold all the ingred. is there another way to make the dough? I do have a bread machine...that may do the trick but take more time then the processor. Also, when you say put a pizza pan/stone on the lowest rack, are you placing your pizza right on the rack above that without a pan (in the middle of the oven)? Sorry for the long post!

Marta said...

Uauuuuuuuuu. It looks wonderfull. I'll try it.

Regards

~Amber~ said...

stacielk - Glad to hear you are back at eating pizza again. I could not imagine ever not eating it. :)
* As far as the dough, if you have a kitchen aid stand mixer you could try making it in there or you could do it the good old fashion way and just do it completely by hand.
* Honestly the oven is so hot already that I do not put the pan on the bottom rack because the crust would burn to quickly. I just put my stone on the middle rack and prep the pizza on parchment paper and then slide it onto the hot stone/pan when ready to bake. Any mmy pizza also never takes the entire time the recipe says. It usually takes about 7-8 minutes.
Good luck if you decide to give it a try.

That Girl said...

This is BRILLIANT! I actually gave up making pizza dough on weeknights because it just takes too long letting it rise. This is a godsend!

Anonymous said...

I haven't gotten around to making my own pizza dough but I would love to. Thanks for the inspiration.

Cakespy said...

This looks AWESOME!! That first photo really sucked me in, and you just kept going with the awesomeness!

ashley said...

what a great recipe! i can't wait to try it. perfect for a week night!

Mollie said...

I am so glad to see this post, and that it was so tasty! I needed an alternative for pizza crust so I will have to try this out!

Jessica said...

I can't wait to try this!

Carrie said...

Make sure you leave an extra plate for me! That looks AWESOME!

Chou said...

I totally agree that homemade is great. Even better that it's fast!

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh! I have been looking for a good pizza dough recipe, (one that doesn't take 2 or three hours). I think I'll giv this one a try

Thanks!

April said...

Pizza is my #1 fave food and I'm always looking for ways to make it "healthier". Thanks so much for posting this - I can't wait to try it!!

Siri said...

The dough looks awesome Amber!

Nice n Crispy..:)

~ Siri

Tempered Woman said...

Hey~ my hubby and I have deep disagreements about mushrooms. And olives. We always have to have separate pizzas. And mushroom, chicken, spinach happens to be a favorite of mine- you so rock! I've been on the hunt for a whole wheat crust (cause we ain't giving up pizza- we bought a pizza oven for pete's sake) so thank you thank you thank you.

Bharti said...

I was looking for an instant pizza dough and came across this recipe. I just made it for dinner and it's amazing! Thanks much.

Anonymous said...

I have used this recipe several times and it's perfect every time. I thought I should finally leave a comment!

bakingwithoutabox said...

Thanks Amber! You just saved my Super Bowl Sunday instant party for me and my husband.