Bring on the Pizza Party!

Has anyone’s mouth been watering since that last pizza blog post? Well you’re in luck – more recipes to come! Megan and I recently hosted the first family-friendly cooking class of the year at Verdant Community Wellness Center. We had a blast discussing the science behind dough making, chopping veggies, sharing tips for meal balance, and of course, baking up delicious personal pizzas with some awesome families. I’d say it was a rainy PNW morning well spent.

Here are some tasty and easy recipes for homemade whole-wheat pizza dough and zesty marinara sauce.

Refrigerator Whole Wheat Pizza Crust
This is a dough recipe that can be made in advance and left to rise in the refrigerator overnight. This recipe makes a velvety, elastic dough that is a dream to work with. It can be pressed out for a fluffy and chewy crust, or it can be stretched thin for something more light and crispy.
 
Ingredients – this recipe has been adapted to make a single 12-inch pizza (original double batch for 2 pizzas can be found here)

• ½ cup + 1 Tablespoon unbleached All Purpose flour
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• ½ cup water, luke warm
• ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
• ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

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Instructions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flours and salt
2. In a liquid measuring cup, measure out ½ cup lukewarm tap water. Sprinkle on the yeast, allowing it to foam slightly and “wake up.” Mix in the olive oil and stir gently.
3. Gradually pour the water/yeast mixture into the flour, combining the mixture with a spoon or just your hand (we told the kids to use their “hand mixers”! We all got a little messy…) Mix until dough comes together. If too sticky, add a bit more flour to your dough 1 teaspoon at a time until more manageable.
4. Turn out dough onto a heavily floured surface and knead with your hands until well combined, about 3 minutes. As you knead, the dough should loosen up and feel more elastic.

Using or Storing Your Dough
If you plan to bake your pizza the same day:

• Lightly grease a bowl with olive oil and turn the dough ball to coat evenly
• Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let rest for 3 to 4 hours at room temperature
• Dough rises well in warm places, such as in front of a bright window on the counter or in the oven with the light turned on
  

If you wish to save your dough for tomorrow:

• Rub your hands with olive oil and gently pat the dough ball to coat it.
• Transfer to a quart size zip-top bag, but leave one inch of the bag unsealed. This will allow gas to release and your dough to expand.
• Your dough will be ready after storing in the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours. Allow it to stand out at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before shaping for pizza.
• After rising, if you do not plan to use your dough within 3 to 5 days, wrap the bag tightly, seal completely, and store in the freezer for up to a month.
  

Shaping Your Pizza

• Once raised, turn your dough out onto a heavily floured surface. Turn on each side to dust with flour and prevent sticking.
• Pat dough out in a circle and leave a raised edge around the perimeter.
• If you desire a thinner crust, pick dough up to stretch along the edges with your palms, rotating as you stretch the dough. Rotate the dough with your knuckles to help the dough stretch thin, but work quickly so it doesn’t rip. This may take some practice
• Lay your dough on a floured baking sheet or pizza pan and top as desired
  

Topping Your Pizza

• 2 Tablespoons of sauce is generally a good amount for a 12-inch pizza. Marinara, pesto, and a simple garlic olive oil with oregano are all great options.
  
• Sprinkle with about ¾ cups cheese and top with veggies and protein.
  
• Try to evenly space toppings so that crust cooks well in all spots. Don’t overload the center!
  
• Try to make your pizza have a rainbow! Peppers, spinach, sweet potato, olives – adding colorful veggies is a great way to encourage kids to try new things on a food they already enjoy. They’ll especially love it if they get to choose their own fun toppings.
  

Baking the Pizza

• Baking at 425° F for 13-15 minute provides chewier crust
• Baking at 500° F (or higher) for 8-10 minutes provides a more crispy crust
  
• Pizza should be done when the cheese is melted, bubbly, and begins to turn golden

 
Nutrition: (for 12-inch pizza crust)

• Calories: 530; Protein: 19 g; Total fat: 3.3 g; Total carbohydrate: 102 g; Dietary fiber: 10 g; Sodium: 1180 mg

Homemade Pizza Marinara Sauce
Have you ever wished you could get away from the canned pizza sauce? You absolutely can if you have a food processor (or blender, Magic Bullet, etc.) and a few simple ingredients. This recipe is so delicious and very easy to customize per your flavor preferences. All you need are some canned tomatoes, fresh garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Easy as that! No cooking required – just 5 minutes of your time and you’ll have a bright and zesty sauce. Extras can be easily frozen in an ice cube tray to save for future pizzas or to toss in other soups or sauces for some extra flavoring.

Recipe notes:

• I would recommend starting with 4 or 5 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons olive oil, and ½ teaspoon salt and pepper – you can always add more and keep blending.
  
• The garlic flavor may be quite strong if you taste your sauce with a spoon. This will mellow out and develop a bit during the baking process.
  
• Two to three tablespoons sauce should be sufficient for a 12-inch crust.
  
• Extra sauce can be refrigerated for up to a week.
  
• Frozen sauce can be stored for up to 3 months. If frozen in an ice cube tray or muffin tin, thaw cubes in the refrigerator overnight, or microwave for 30 seconds at a time until melted.
  

 
If you have ideas for other cooking classes or are curious about other nutrition topics, please comment in the thread below. And for now, get in the kitchen, get a little messy, and get cooking! I will be doing the same.
 
~ Holly, RDN

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