I love Trader Joes, particularly the almost whole wheat pizza dough you can buy in the refrigerated section. It’s not too dense, bakes up perfectly and has a subtle sweet buttery taste.
I don’t live anywhere near a Trader Joes, so it’s a special treat when we go to Seattle, to stop in and load up with all our favorite goodies before heading back across the mountains.
Last week, I was in the mood to make pizza but didn’t have any dough in the freezer. So, I broke out my favorite Cooking Light cookbook and found a recipe for whole wheat pizza dough.
I was a little nervous because I had to mix the yeast myself, let the dough rise, ect. Thankfully, the process was surprisingly easy. Time consuming, but easy.
Whole Wheat Pizza Dough:
- 1 package dry yeast
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1 1/2 cups warm water (100 degrees)
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- Cooking Spray
1. Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water in a large bowl and let stand for 5 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups flour, whole wheat flour, olive oil and salt to yeast mixture, stirring until well blended. Turn dough out onto a flour surface and knead until smooth and elastic. (This is really important!!) Add remaining flour 1 tablespoon at a time to prevent dough from sticking to hands.
2. Place dough in a bowl coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise in a warm place (like stove top) for 45 minutes or until doubled in size. This makes two crusts. Freeze extra crust and when you are ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Cover and let rise for 1 1/2 hours.
3. Roll dough into a 12-inch circle on a floured surface. Top and bake at 425 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.
We topped ours with jarred pesto, grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, grilled onions and mozzarella cheese. When the pizza came out of the oven I sprinkled a handful of parmesan and a couple of tablespoons of fresh chopped basil from the plant I keep in my window sill.
Everyone in my family loves this recipe and Jack gobbles it up minus the onions. I am always super intimidated by anything to do with yeast…but this was really easy and delicious. Not quite as good as Trader Joes but I think I’ll keep tweaking until it is!
A New Day Rises 