All About Whole Grain Pizza Crust!

by Diana Rosen

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This week Susan Teeter has asked Kitchen Sleuth to find the ultimate whole grain pizza recipe:
Dear Kitchen Sleuth,
I have a family history of diabetes and try to stick to a diet that will not contribute to diabetes. I try to incorporate as many whole grains into my diet as possible and a good whole wheat or whole grain pizza crust recipe would really help me (and others like me) out! Please provide us with the best recipe that we can bake at home.

Dear Susan:
Congratulations on taking charge of your health by incorporating whole grains in your diet.
To make a whole grain crust at home, you have many choices: whole grain flour mixed with unbleached white flour or whole wheat or whole grain flours combined with flours made from oatmeal, potatoes, garbanzo beans, soy, rice or buckwheat are becoming more available at the supermarket. Each of these flours adds texture, flavor, and fiber to the dough.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough
This recipe uses a unique flour called "white whole wheat" which is heartier and paler in color than most whole wheat flours. The herbs make for a very rustic flavored dough that's wonderful for any topping. White whole wheat flour is ground from whole hard white wheat berries and has the same nutritional value as whole wheat flour. It is milder than red spring wheat which is used in regular whole wheat flour. King Arthur and Bob's Red Mill are two brands to check. Crusts made solely from whole grain flours may be too tough so the white whole wheat or adding unbleached white flours is a way to make the crust more tender.

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1/4 cup olive oil
1 3/4 cups ice cold water
2 tablespoons rosemary and thyme, chopped, or your favorite
Italian herbs
Olive oil for coating or drizzling
Extra flour for dusting counter surface
Cornmeal for dusting the pizza stone or pan
Your favorite tomato sauce, pizza toppings and mozzarella cheese.

Instructions:

Stir together the flour, salt, and instant yeast in the bowl of an electric mixer.
Slowly, by hand, stir in both the olive oil and the cold water until all the flour is absorbed.
Add the herbs then mix on medium speed for at least five minutes, using the dough hook attachment. You will achieve a sticky, smooth dough that will come away from the sides of the bowl and will be springy and almost elastic.

Flour a counter or mat with and cut the dough into six equal pieces then roll each piece into a ball.
Rub them with olive oil, place inside sandwich bags, and refrigerate overnight or for several days if you're planning that far ahead.

About an hour before you want to serve the pizza, remove the dough ball from the refrigerator but keep it covered to avoid drying.

All pizzas taste better with a baking stone, so buy or borrow one.
Place it in the lower third of the oven and preheat it to 450°F. (A sheet pan works well too, however, you should NOT preheat it or the pizza will burn on the bottom.)

Dust the stone or sheet pan with cornmeal.
Shape the pizza dough by pressing it into a round shape with your knuckles, dusting it with flour as necessary, until it stretches to at least 12" in diameter.
Add your favorite toppings over some tomato sauce, then sprinkle on cheese, as desired.
Slide the pizza onto the stone or pan and bake until the crust is crisp, about 10 minutes depending on your oven.
Remove and drizzle some high-quality olive oil and freshly grated parmesan cheese and/or red pepper flakes, as desired.
Serve immediately.