Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Pizza, what's not to love? Sauce, cheese, crusty bread... all over goodness. Top it with some delicious toppings and you're on a roll. I have made homemade pizza dough before and loved it. That recipe is very classic and as good as restaurant quality. However, I really wanted to make a healthier dough, one that incorporated whole wheat, and decided to try out a new recipe. This came together quickly and effortlessly. If you have never made dough before and are intimidated this is a great place to start. I chose to make it into 6 individual crusts but I think they are too small. Next time I'd do 4 crusts. It was a good size for me but John immediately went to the pantry for a snack after dinner haha! I am really looking forward to eating the dough that's in the freezer- lots of pizza in out future.

Now, this is whole wheat dough. It does have a bit of a grainy taste, but to me that's a good thing. If you didn't know it was whole wheat you probably wouldn't notice. It made a very thin, crunchy crust. A big hit in our household!

Source: Eating Well

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons lukewarm water, (105-115°F)
1 package active dry yeast, (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup bread flour, or all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting
2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal

Directions:
Stir water, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl; let stand until the yeast has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Stir in whole-wheat flour, bread flour (or all-purpose flour) and cornmeal until the dough begins to come together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, mix the dough in a food processor. Process until it forms a ball, then process for 1 minute to knead.)

Place the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat. (To make individual pizzas, see Variation.) C over with a clean kitchen towel and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Individual variation: The dough can be turned into 4 or 6 personal-size pizzas. After kneading, divide the dough into 4 or 6 equal balls (I'd suggest 4- I made 6 and they are pretty small). Brush with oil and place 3 inches apart on a baking sheet. Cover and set aside until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Roll each portion into a 6-to-8-inch circle.

To store dough you aren't using now, prepare through Step 3, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Or tightly wrap the unrisen dough in oiled plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the dough in the refrigerator overnight. Let refrigerated (or previously frozen) dough stand at room temperature for 1 hour before using.

Preheat oven to 450 with a pizza stone in the oven.

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out the dough on the parchment paper. Cover with toppings. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, of until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted.