White-Wheat Thick Pan Pizza (Bread Machine Friendly)

I saw a few different versions of copcay Pizza Hut dough and tried some variants, so here is my recipe based on my experiments. Using a pan meant for pizza would yield the best results but a basic flat pizza pan or a pizza stone will work just as well. You can also make this in a bread machine or do it with my directions here. (You can also use 2 cups of bread flour instead of all-purpose flour mixed with vital wheat gluten.) Prep time includes rising time. This yields a large, bready pizza that's quite filling!

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 12 big slices

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2  teaspoons sugar
• 1 1⁄3 cups water (warm)
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2  cups all-purpose flour (or bread flour)
• 2  tablespoons vital wheat gluten (omit if using bread flour)
• 1  cup whole wheat flour

• PRE-BAKE

• 1  tablespoon olive oil

• TOPPINGS

•  cheese
•  tomato sauce

Directions

1. Place the warm water in a large bowl with the yeast, salt, and sugar. Let proof for 5-10 minutes or until foamy.
2. Add the oil, baking powder, and onion and garlic powders.
3. Knead in the flours and gluten until all you can form a large, sticky glob of dough with no flour sticking to the sides of the bowl.
4. Loosely cover with a dish towel or paper plate and let rise for 60-90 minutes.
5. Or, place all the ingredients in your bread machine according to manufacturer's instructions and do a basic dough cycle with a 60-90 minute rise time (for 1 1/2 or 2 pound capacity.).
6. Either way, when the dough is all done rising, extract it from the bowl or bread machine. Dust your hands with some flour and re-knead it (it will be very sticky.).
7. Liberally grease your pizza pan of choice with plenty of olive oil (I use about 2-3 tablespoons on my flat 12" pizza pan.).
8. Roll the dough out onto the greased pan and stretch it out to fit the pan. Poke holes in it with a fork.
9. Bake at 350F for 5 minutes.
10. Extract from the oven and brush a tablespoon of olive oil onto the crust with a pastry or BBQ brush.
11. Add your favorite sauce, cheeses, toppings, spices, etc. My basic favorites to get a pan pizza taste are Enrico's Natural Pizza Sauce and that Polly-O mozzarella cheese that comes in bricks where I just slice it and place random pieces on and sprinkle dried oregano on top of it. Finely chopped fresh spinach and canned artichokes are also my fave pan pizza toppings.
12. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the crust has browned on top.