Pizza Topped With Love: Part Deux

I promised you all a crust recipe in part one of this Knead For Speed pizza sequel, and I always keep my promises.  But not only will you get a crust recipe; also to come is a second (more time-consuming yet more flavorful) pizza sauce, as well as a simple roasted vegetable topping recipe.

And since part one, in which I mentioned my dislike of pizza, I really must clarify.  I’m not a fan of the inner part with the sauce, toppings, and cheese.  However, j’adore le crust.  J’adore, j’adore, j’adore.  The fatter and fluffier the crust, the better.  If you don’t like the crusts, cut ‘em off and send ‘em this way! 

As I brainstormed the things I like about pizza, another one hit me.  I love the mathematical aspect of pizza.  Sure, my 8-year-old self strayed away from the pizza table at birthday parties.  But that same 8-year-old also learned a great deal about basic math from that very same pizza.  I enjoy random calculations.  For example, the fact that each slice of a 12″ pizza crust cut into 12 slices has an area of 3 times pi square inches.  Or the fact that if one cuts that 12″ pizza in two and displaces the bottom half 12 inches to the right, the crust would form a sine graph.  Or the fact that if Suzy takes two slices, 5/6 of the pizza remains.  There’s a geek inside all of us…it’s just a little more pronounced in moi.

Speaking of math, did you know this whole wheat pizza crust + herbed pizza sauce + roasted vegetables + grilled chicken + mozzarella/ricotta cheese = one awesome pizza?  Or so the pizza-lovers I call my family say.

Herbed Pizza Sauce

• 1 8-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce
• 2 Tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf

1. In a small saucepan, stir together all ingredients.
2. Bring heat to medium until the sauce begins to simmer.
3. Reduce heat to low and let simmer, covered, for about 30-40 minutes.  Stir occasionally.
4. Allow sauce to cool before spreading on pizza.

Thick Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

• 1-1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tablespoons cornmeal
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast (note that this is different from active dry yeast)
• 1-1/3 cups warm water (120-130 degrees F)
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons olive oil

1. Stir together flours, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder.  Add instant yeast.
2. Add water and olive oil.  Stir until well-combined.
3. Place dough on a well-floured surface.  Knead for about 1 minute. 
4. Place dough ball into a greased bowl and let rise in a warm place, covered, for 45 minutes.  (This would be the ideal time to prepare roasted vegetables, if using.)
5. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
6. Punch air out of dough.  Place dough onto greased pizza pan and roll out.  Let it rest 5 minutes or so.
7. With a fork, poke holes in dough to prevent large air bubbles from forming.  Pre-bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and add sauce (recipe above), toppings (I used roasted vegetable recipe below and 3 ounces sliced grilled chicken), and cheese (I used 3/4 cup, or about 3 ounces, fat free mozzarella and 1/4 cup ricotta).
9. Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until slightly browned.

Roasted Vegetable Pizza Topping

• 3.5 ounces yellow squash, sliced into 1/8″ rounds
• 3.5 ounces shredded carrots
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Rinse and clean squash with a vegetable brush.  Slice into rounds about 1/8-inch thick.
3. Shred carrots (if not using pre-shredded).
4. Place squash rounds and shredded carrots in a medium bowl.  Toss vegetables in olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
5. Spread vegetables evenly across baking sheet greased with cooking spray.  Place in preheated oven for 16 minutes, or until slightly browned.
6. Sprinkle atop tomato sauce on pizza crust.     

Tagged as: Bread, cheese, chicken, garlic, Main Dishes, pizza, tomato sauce, veggies, whole wheat, yeast bread