Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Thin-Crust Whole Wheat Veggie Pizza

Skill Level: Easy
Sticker Shock: $$$$
Taste: ★★★★

I am usually a minimalist when it comes to pizza. I'm a pepperoni OR sausage kind of gal, so I was a bit wary going into this recipe. It sounded good, but I've been burned before when things sounded good. I was pleasantly surprised with my first bite! The crust is very crispy and flavorful, and the toppings are a good combination. My zucchini, unfortunately, wasn't as fresh as I'd hoped, so I had to skip that altogether.

I might play around with the sauce a bit next time. It was good, but a bit bland compared to jarred sauce or what you'd get at the local pizzeria. I still gave the recipe 4 stars because it was still really good, just a bit different if you were expecting a restaurant taste.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup white all purpose flour , divided
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp Yeast, baker's, dry active
1 1/2 tsp ground basil leaves , divided
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium garlic cloves , minced
1/2 cup water (warm: 120 - 130 deg F)
1 teaspoon cornmeal
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 cup fresh mushroom slices
1/2 cup sliced zucchini
1/3 cup fresh chopped green onion
1 serving roasted red peppers with brine , drained, cut lengthwise into thin strips
1 cup part skim shredded mozzarella
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Directions:

Combine 1/2 cup all-purpose flour with the whole wheat flour, yeast, 1 teaspoon basil, and salt.

In a small cup, blend the oil with garlic and stir with water into the flour mixture. Stir 1/4 cup all-purpose flour into the mixture until dough forms that is soft and slightly sticky, adding 1/4 cup of additional flour if necessary to prevent mixture from sticking.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for about 5 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Shape dough into a ball, then cover the ball with an inverted bowl or clean towel and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Place oven rack on the lowest position possible and preheat to 400 degrees F. Spray a 12-inch pizza pan or baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray, then sprinkle with cornmeal and set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a large circle and transfer to the prepared pan, then stretch the dough so it reaches the edge of the pan.

In a small bowl, blend the tomato sauce with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon basil and spread the mixture evenly over crust. Top the crust with mushrooms, zucchini, green onions, roasted bell pepper, and mozzarella, then sprinkle crushed red pepper on top of the pizza.

Place pizza in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Nutrition information: Servings Per Recipe: 4; Amount Per Serving: Calories: 274.9, Total Fat: 8.8g, Sodium: 345.6mg, Total Carbs: 36.3g, Dietary Fiber: 4g, Protein: 13.5g

3 comments:

Unknown said...

This sounds yummy! I just wish I had the energy to make homemade stuff like this right now! Next year, though! :-)

Sam said...

This recipe sounds great! I can't wait to make it.

I love this blog, Anna. I love that you have the nutritional information at the bottom of each one. VERY COOL!

Anna said...

Gwen, I'm glad you're enjoying it!

Sharline, what makes you think you'll have energy after the baby is born?! :-D