One-Year Goal: Week 17: Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Recipe: Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

From: Midwest Living; June 2011

Category: Main Dish

Rating: Pretty good. We ate the whole pizza. :-)

Indredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup quick-cooking polenta mix, corn grits or cornmeal (I used polenta)
1 package active dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups warm water (120-130 degrees)
1 egg
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 - 2 cups whole wheat flour
Additional polenta, corn grits or cornmeal
Additional olive oil

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, mix all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup polenta mix, yeast, sugar, salt and pepper. Add the warm water, egg and the 3 tablespoons oil. Beat with an electric mix 30 seconds, scraping the bowl. Beat on high 3 minutes, Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the whole wheat flour as you can.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining whole wheat flour to make a moderately stiff doe that is smooth and elastic (6 - 8 minutes), adding additional flour as needed to keep dough from sticking. (I did all of the above steps in my mixer, switching to the dough hook at step 2.) Shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease dough surface. Cover bowl with a damp towel (Make sure the towel does not touch the dough.) Let the dough rise in a warm place until double in size (45-55 minutes).
Prepare pan(s) by greasing baking stone/pan and sprinkling with additional polenta mix.
Punch dough down. Turn dough out onto a light floured pizza. To make three pizzas, cut dough into three separate pieces using a serrated knife. Cover; let rest for 10 minutes.
Use one (or more) pizza crusts. Roll out crust then put on prepared pan. Wrap remaining pizza crusts in plastic wrap, put in a freezer bag. Will store in freezer for 2 months.
After placing crust on baking stone, prick with a fork. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in a 450 degree oven. Add desired toppings and bake another 8 to 10 minutes.