Pizza Crust
(recipe adapted from my Oster bread machine recipe book)
This recipe makes a 2-pound loaf. I use half the dough the day I make it, and freeze the rest to use later. It thaws really well!
1. In a bread machine, combine the following ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 3/8 cups of room temperature water (I know, it's a weird measurement. I just eyeball a little less than 1 1/2)
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 2 cups of whole wheat flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
4. Divide dough in half. Put one half in a freezer bag and stash for later use.
5. On a pizza pan or cookie sheet, press out the remaining half of the dough into about a 10" pizza crust.
6. Bake the crust alone for about 8 minutes.
7. Add pizza sauce and toppings of your choice.
8. Bake for another 12-14 minutes.
Try your own balance of white/wheat flour. We love whole wheat around here, but Scott and I weren't thrilled with an all whole wheat crust. These days I usually use about 2 1/2 cups whole wheat and 1 1/2 cups white.
I would post how I make my own pizza sauce, but I'm not really sure. :) I open up a small can of tomato sauce and a small can of tomato paste, and dump all of the sauce and about half the paste in a bowl. I mix it up well, then I add some spices that came with my spice rack labeled "pizza seasonings". I am pretty sure it has oregano and basil in it, but who knows what else is in there. It tastes good, though! Oh, I also add about a teaspoon of evaporated cane juice or half a packet of Truvia (you can just use sugar).
My favorite pizza toppings, you ask? Red & green bell peppers, baby bella mushrooms, or pineapple. :)
