xo fitness: XO's Friday Foodie: 100% stone ground pizza crust

Sprinkle the yeast on top.

I've never understood why most "whole wheat" bread recipes are 1/2 white flour. Here is my recipe for 100% stone ground whole wheat pizza crust. It works because I use two types of flour that I'll explain later.

I've shared this only with a few of my favored clients, so I trust you'll enjoy it too. You can double this recipe, but you still only use one packet of yeast. The photos are from a double batch we shared tonight with our neighbors.

Six ingredients:

1 cup hot tap water (not scalding)

1 packet dry yeast

1-2 teaspoons sugar

Allow Yeast to foam 5-10 minutes

1 cup Hodgson Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour

1 cup Dakota Maid Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour

1 Tablespoon EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

1. Put 1 cup very hot water (not scalding) into a large glass bowl.

2. Stir in sugar and sprinkle yeast on TOP.

3. Allow to set 5-10 minutes. The top should get foamy. Technically this is called "proofing" the yeast. Personally, I like laugh my evil laugh, turn my hands into upturned claws and declare "It's ALIVE!"

4. Mix in the 1 cup of Hodgson and 1 cup of Dakota Maid Flours with a fork. It will be gooey.

5. Add more flour (either kind) until it starts pulling away from the walls as you stir it.

Knead a few minutes

6. Put a small pile of flour (the other kind!) and dump the dough ball into it. Roll the dough ball to thoroughly coat it so it doesn't stick to your hands... as much.

7. Knead the dough by pushing it down with the palm of one hand while folding it onto itself with the other hand.

8. Knead until you have created a dough ball that is not too stiff, but not too sticky. (I think this is where we deviate from science to an art)

9. Coat the dough ball with EVOO, cover with a towel and place on top of your stove near the 'warm spot' or oven vent to rise 45-60 minutes. Set the Stove to it's lowest setting (200'F). Be aware that sometimes a hot vent will slightly cook the dough.

Coat generously in Olive oil

10. Roll out your dough onto a greased cookie sheet.

11. Turn the stove up to 400' and prebake the crust for ~5 minutes until just firm. Do not brown.

12. Cover the pizza with approximately 1/2 jar or can of pizza sauce (look for no added sugar! Ragu homestyle pizza quick sauce and Dei Fratelli's are both good).

13. Cover with Cheese and your favorite toppings and bake to your liking, usually 10 -12 minutes.

14. Enjoy!

Cover and allow to rise.

OK. A quick digression about the flours. Hodgson is the real deal when it comes to stone ground flour. It is very coarse and makes very dense, heavy dough. It does not work very well by itself. Dakota Maid is also a stone ground flour that is nearly as fine as white flour. Together, Hodgson and Dakota Maid make a great dough that is tasty and authentically 100% stone ground whole wheat.

If you have a good recipe for a gluten free pizza crust, please share it with me. I've tried a couple and they are 'OK' but I haven't found one that I'm thrilled with enough to share.