Yummy, Good-For-You Pizza (Also My Family's Favorite!)

Submitted by fresh fanatic

"Since this recipe makes a thin-crust pizza, I would recommend making two pizzas. If you're short on time, thaw a frozen 1 pound loaf of whole-wheat bread dough instead of the homemade crust."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 42mins
• Ingredients: 17
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 2⁄3 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3⁄4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1⁄4 cup cornmeal
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
• 3⁄4 - 1 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed spinach leaves
• 1 cup packed fresh basil leaf
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese
• 1⁄3 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 ounces turkey pepperoni or 2 ounces pepperoni
• 1 -2 thinly sliced plum tomato (optional)
• 1 1⁄2 cups reduced-fat mozzarella cheese or 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

directions

1. In a small bowl combing yeast and warm water. Let stad for 5 minutes. Stir in honey and the 1 tablespoon olive oil. In a large bouwl combine whole wheat flour, cornmeal, and salt. Stir in yeast mixture. Stir in as much all-purpose flour as you can.
2. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6-8 minutes total). Shape dough into a ball, cover and let rise until nearly double (30-45 minutes).
3. Meanwhile, prepare spinach pesto. In food processor bowl place spinach, basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, the 1/3 cup of olive oil, and lemon juice. Cover and process until smooth. Set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 425°F
5. Punch down dough, let rest 10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface roll dough to a 12-inch round or a 10-inch square. Transfer to greased baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until browned. Top with pesto sauce, pepperoni, tomatoes (if using), and cheese. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until bubbly. Makes 8 servings.

Reviews

[LUv 2 BaKE]

This is our summertime pizza! We've made it about 7 times since June! Delicious. The pesto is a fantastic base of flavour to this pizza. I use less oil - about 1-2 tbsp then add enough water to make 1/3 cup. Instead of the pepperoni we add vegetarian "chicken" strips. I can't say enough about this pizza! A must try. The crust is also fantastic. We now use it for our other pizza recipes. Thanks!

 

[Kim12469]

This was really yummy! I made some adjustments for personal tastes plus we're trying to be more veggie. I used a package pizza dough mix. I added some walnuts to the pesto and I topped the pizza with a can of drained white beans. I also cooked the pizza on the grill. I wish I'd a roma tomato, next time! Thanks for a delicious idea!

 

[QueenBee49444]

I made two pizzas using your crust recipe. I cheated - by using the Kitchen Aid mixer to do the mixing & kneading. Used a hot pizza stone for one crust and a baking sheet for the other. The pizza crust baked on the pizza stone baked more consistently. The spinach pesto makes this pizza a welcome change from the regular tomato sauce - very delicious. Thank you for posting. Made for PAC, spring 2008.