Finally, a Whole Wheat Pizza Dough to Love!

I finally found a whole-wheat pizza crust recipe that I love. It comes from the book PIZZA: Grill It, Bake It, Love It! by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough. I have it out from my local library, but want to get my own copy ASAP.

This recipe makes one pound of dough. I made a pizza on a cookie sheet with a medium-thin crust, and it was tender and not heavy.

3/4 cup lukewarm water (~105F-115F)

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour

2/3 all purpose flour, plus additional as needed

2 tablespoons walnut, canola, or vegetable oil (I used olive), plus addition for greasing

Place the water in a large bowl. Stir in yeast, sugar, and salt. Wait 5 minutes so the yeast can activate and begin to bubble and foam. (If it doesn't, throw the mixture out and start again. Either the water isn't the right temperature or the yeast expired.)

Stir both flours and oil into the yeast mixture until a soft dough forms. Lightly dust a clean, dry, work surface with all-purpose flour and turn the dough onto it. Knead by holding the dough with one hand, stretching it with the other, and then twisting the heel of the holding hand into the mass. Continually reshape the dough, folding it on itself as you knead. If it's sticking to your hands, add a little more all-purpose flour, in about 1 tablespoon increments. Continue kneading until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

Wipe a clean, large bowl with a bit of cooking oil on a paper towel, or spray it with cooking spray. Place the dough in the prepared bowl, turning the dough so all sides are coating with oul, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. Shape the dough into the crust shape desired.