I use the bread machine to make the dough about 3 hours ahead of time. Recipe below is to make enough dough for 2 thin crust pizzas. I use 2 pizza stones that I have from Pampered Chef -- one round and one rectangular -- and I don't heat them ahead of time, just pat and roll the dough out onto the cold stones. Usually one pizza is plain cheese, the other is either pepperoni or vegetable.
Pizza Dough Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups +3 Tbsp. water
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2-1/2 cups bread flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1-1/2 tsp. sugar
1-1/2 tsp. salt
3-3/4 tsp. bread machine yeast
dusting of semolina flour, corn flour or very light coating of olive oil for pizza stones
Directions:
1. Rinse out the bread machine pan with hot water so the ingredients go in a warm pan.
2. Then measure the water for the dough using a Pyrex measure -- use cold water and then heat it in the microwave until warm, but not hot (too hot kills the yeast).
3. Place all ingredients in bread machine pan in order listed. Select WHOLE WHEAT DOUGH cycle.
4. Let the dough be mixed and rise until done in the bread maker (about 2-1/2 to 3 hours, timer is auto on mine depending on cycle. It should rise to double). Because this makes enough for 2 pizzas, you may have to push the dough down if it starts to overflow the top of the pan. At the end I push it down again to get all the air out.
5. When the dough is ready to use, divide the dough in half and put one ball on each pizza stone (coat stones first with a little dusting of semolina flour, corn flour or very light coating of olive oil). Let sit for about 10 minutes to rest.
6. During this time I set my oven to BREAD PROOF (which is 100 degrees). Then roll out the dough on the pan -- and use your finger tips at the end to make it even and so the edges are raised a little.
7. Put the pans in the 100 degree oven while you are getting the toppings together -- maybe 1/2 hour. This makes the crust a little lighter and better.
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Topping Ingredients:
olive oil
red pepper flakes
pizza sauce (I usually use leftover Rao's Marinara Sauce)
8-12 oz shredded pizza cheese (combo mozzarella and provolone) -- about 1-1/2 bags
additional shredded/grated Parmesan cheese
fresh garlic, to taste, crushed
additional toppings-- pepperoni, sliced onions, sliced peppers
additional olive oil
dried oregano
Directions on final preparation of the pizza:
1. When you have the toppings together, remove the pizzas from the warm oven (bread proofing cycle or 100 degrees) to the counter and then preheat the oven to bake at 500 degrees. NOTE: This works best with two ovens so you can use the lowest position to bake each of the pizzas on (so the cheese does not get burned!). Or you can use one oven and switch pizzas top to bottom halfway through, but you will have to keep your eye on the top one to make sure it does not get too brown.
2. Put about 1 Tbsp. olive oil on each crust and spread around evenly with a spoon -- almost to the edge. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, to taste. (about 1/4 tsp)
3. Spread pizza sauce over the top of the pizzas, to taste -- enough for a medium coating -- almost to the edge.
4. Spread shredded pizza cheese evenly over the top of both pizzas -- almost to the edge.
5. Sprinkle additional Parmesan cheese on top.
6. Crush the garlic and put it on the pizzas -- 1-2 cloves per pizza.
7. Add additional toppings, as desired -- not too thickly layered for veggies, so not watery.
8. Finally, drizzle with a little additional olive oil and sprinkle with dried oregano, to taste.
9. Bake in preheated 500 degree oven(s) for about 15 minutes, watching that top does not get too brown, but crust must be cooked though. 2 separate ovens are better, or cook one at a time or if you are doing two pizzas in the same oven, switch top to bottom halfway through and keep a close eye on the top pizza that it does not get too browned. If the top is getting too browned, you can put a baking sheet between the pizza and the top heating element to help.
10. Remove when done, testing with a metal spatula that the crust underneath is cooked through. Set aside to cool for a few minutes, then cut with a pizza wheel and serve!
