Whole Wheat Pizza

This whole wheat pizza hides flavor in the crust itself. Grated cheddar, caraway seeds, garlic powder, and black pepper get mixed right into the 100% whole wheat dough, so every bite of crust has character even before the toppings go on.

The sponge method here, beating the first cup of flour with the yeast and honey 100 times, is what gives this heavy dough a fighting chance at rising. That vigorous beating develops gluten in the initial mixture and gives the yeast a head start before the rest of the flour weighs things down. The 15-minute rise after this step is short but enough for the yeast to activate and aerate the dough.

No rolling pin needed. Patting the dough directly onto the baking sheet with your hands works better for whole wheat doughs, which tend to spring back when rolled. The five-minute rest before shaping relaxes the gluten enough to make the dough cooperative.

Kitchen Tips

• Don’t over-flour the dough. Start with 1¼ cups additional flour and only add more if the dough is too sticky to handle. Too much flour makes whole wheat pizza dough tough and dense.
• Par-bake the crust for 5 minutes before adding toppings if you like a crispier bottom. Whole wheat absorbs more moisture from the sauce than white flour does.
• Use part-skim mozzarella as specified. It melts well but releases less oil than full-fat, keeping the pizza from getting greasy on top.

Variations

• Swap the veggies for whatever is in the fridge. Bell peppers, zucchini, or spinach all work on this crust.
• Add Italian sausage for a non-vegetarian version with more protein.