Basic Whole Wheat Pizza Dough THIS RECIPE IS endlessly adaptable. In this chapter it’s used in recipes for baked, grilled, and panfried pizzas, as well as calzones, but it’s also great for flatbreads, focaccia, or soft bread sticks. Feel free to substitute another whole-grain flour for the whole wheat; spelt and rye both make for flavorful variations.
MAKES ONE 14-INCH (35 cm) PIZZA, WHICH WILL SERVE 4
1 packet active dry yeast (2¼ teaspoons, 21 g) ¹⁄ ³ cup (80 ml) warm water, 105° to 115°F ¾ cup (90 g) whole wheat flour ²⁄ ³ cup (160 ml) room-temperature water ¾ teaspoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for coating 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
1. In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in ¼ cup (30 g) of the whole wheat flour until it forms a tacky paste. Let stand for 20 to 25 minutes, until the surface is dimpled with air bubbles. 2. Add the ²⁄³ cup (160 ml) room-temperature water, along with the salt, olive oil, ²⁄³ cup (80 g) of the all-purpose flour, and the remaining ½ cup (60 g) of the whole wheat flour.
3. If using a stand mixer, mix with the paddle attachment on medium-low speed until the ingredients are combined, about 2 minutes, and switch to the dough hook. Knead at medium speed adding more of the all-purpose flour as needed, until the dough is smooth but still somewhat sticky, 5 to 8 minutes. Resist adding more flour than needed. It should pull off the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom in a somewhat viscous mass. If making the dough by hand, stir with a wooden spoon or spatula, adding more of the all-purpose flour as needed until the dough just holds its shape and can be turned out onto a kneading surface. The dough should be sticky, so I recommend kneading with one hand and using a dough scraper in the other to assist with flipping the dough; if you add too much flour the crust will be dense and not chewy. Knead until the dough is smooth but still somewhat sticky, 8 to 10 minutes. 4. (Note: To save the dough for use later, skip this step and see the box at right.) Rub a bit of olive oil over the dough, cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap, and let rest in a warm place until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Recipe from Vegetarian Entrées That Won’t Leave You Hungry: Nourishing, Flavorful Main Courses That Fill 202 V E G E TA R I A N E N T R É E S T H AT W O N ’ T L E AV E Y O U H U N G R Y the Center of the Plate copyright © Lukas Volger, 2011. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold.