"experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted." -randy pausch

Sunday, March 27, 2011

stuff your crust.

i got bored with our regular pizza spread.
and my heart loves cheese.
so i created a stuffed crust.
wow.
you HAVE to try it.
pizza night just got even better.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

2c whole-wheat flour
1 c white flour
tbls olive oil
1-tsp salt
1 packet yeast or 2 and 1/4 tsp
 1 tsp sugar
1tsp oregano
1tsp basil
1/2tsp red pepper flakes
1tsp garlic salt

1. Dissolve packet of yeast {or 2 and 1/4tsp} into 1 cup warm water with 1 tsp sugar. 
let sit for about 10 minutes in the microwave. DO NOT COOK.
(it will rise and look yellow and puffy, 
sometimes making little air bubbles)
2. Mix flour, salt, olive oil, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, garlic salt, 
and yeast mixture with dough hook for 5 minutes. 
Add about 1/2-1 cup water to it while it is mixing, 
so the dough sticks to the side of the mixing bowl like "spiderwebs". See picture below:
 {see elastic "spiderwebs" shown in the above picture and the below left hand picture}
Add flour if you've added too much water to get the right consistency. 
It will cook even if you don't get this step right, so don't stress about this, 
The dough will be more soft and fluffy if you get the right moisture.
when it comes to bread it's all about moisture, moisture, moisture!

3. Place in oiled bowl, i use PAM.
Cover a towel in a warm spot for about 1 hour (i like my microwave best.)
DO NOT COOK. just let it sit in there. small warm spot=happy rising dough.
4. Roll out on a well floured counter top, and add toppings
some of our toppings are: 
garlic, fresh veggies {zucchini, mushrooms, bell peppers, purple onions}, and sliced tomatoes that i put on AFTER the pizza is already cooked. the garlic is by far the ingredient that i never leave off. if you love garlic you will LOVE 2-3 cloves chopped up and sprinkled over your pizza--put the garlic on before you cook the pizza, but the tomato AFTER. the pizza will warm it up as it cools down from cooking.
or put them on before and have warm tomatoes.
whichever you fancy.
i do both ways.
you can use this recipe for 2 pizzas or 1. if you're only making ONE PIZZA, put half of the dough into a ziploc freezer bag BEFORE IT RISES {i like to spray PAM inside the bag before i put the dough in, and then i FREEZE IT. that way you can put the frozen dough out on your counter 3-4 hours before 
the next time you want to make pizza, so it can thaw and rise 
without you having to do the work of making your own dough. 
GENIUS, i know:)
i also like to do a stuffed crust and then i put butter and garlic salt on it before baking so it turns it into a garlic cheese bread around the crust. click here to see images.
5. Cook for 15-18 minutes on 425-450* on lowest rack. 450* will make the crust crispier so watch it closely around the 15 minute mark to make sure it doesn't burn.

4 comments:

Thompson's said...

sounds yummy! what is your crust recipe?

Susan Anderson said...

You are too much. And I always wish I could eat at your house!

=)

A Little Thing Called Life. said...

YUM!

Amy said...

Is that whole wheat?
Recipe please!