Have you ever tried making homemade pizza dough? After doing it once you’ll realize just how easy it is. You need only a few basic ingredients to produce a simple, delicious dough that bakes up into bubbly, crispy perfection (and is also a ton of fun to prepare).
When I first heard about white wheat, I thought it was the same thing as white flour, but, in fact, it’s made from naturally colorless whole wheat, which has virtually the same nutritional benefits of the traditional whole wheat you’re used to. It also has a milder flavor than whole wheat, making it more appealing to people who usually eat refined white flour. (Hmm, who could some of those people be . . . kids, perhaps?!)
You can use this nutritious dough to make everything from Pizza Balls to Pizza Muffins to Stuffed Pizza Rolls and more.Mamma mia!
One ¼-ounce package active dry yeast
1⅓ cups lukewarm water
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for greasing the bowl and brushing on the pizza crust
1 tablespoon honey
3 to 4 cups white whole-wheat flour
1½ teaspoons salt
1. Combine the yeast and water in a small bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If the yeast doesn’t foam, make sure to check the expiration date—you may need to buy a fresh package.) Add the olive oil and honey and stir to combine.
2. Combine 3 cups of the flour and the salt in a large bowl (or the bowl of a standing mixer, using a dough hook attachment).
3. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and mix to combine. Knead the dough either by hand on a clean surface for 10 minutes or on the low setting of your standing mixer for 3 minutes, until smooth and elastic. You want the dough to bounce back when you press it. If your dough is too wet and sticky, add more flour, ¼ cup at a time, until you reach a soft and elastic consistency.
4. Transfer the ball of dough to an oiled bowl, cover the top of the bowl with a dish towel, and set it aside in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes. The dough will double in size.
6. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 15 seconds. Cut into 4 equal balls, form each into rounds, and flatten each into a disk. Let the disks rest for 5 minutes. If using the dough for Pizza Muffins divide the dough into 3 disks and freeze one for another day.
7. Proceed with your desired recipe that uses pizza dough, or freeze some or all of the disks: place 1 round disk on a parchment-lined plate or cookie sheet and layer the rest of the disks on top, with parchment between each disk. Freeze for 1 hour, then transfer the stack of frozen pizza disks to a freezer bag. The disks can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to use them, remove the disk(s) from the freezer and let them defrost in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Then, let them come to room temperature and proceed with steps 5 and 6.
TIP: White whole-wheat flour can be found at most grocery and health food stores. If you can’t find white whole-wheat flour you can use equal amounts white and wheat flour.