Keeping Your Restaurant On Its Toes

A Whole Grain Pizza Crust Recipe That's Light And Crispy – Not Tough

31 July 2015 by Julio Myers

Whole grain pizza crust always sounds like a good idea – it's healthy, after all – but it's often disappointingly tough when you bite into it. This whole grain pizza crust is different. Made with whole oat flour, it has a softer texture and develops that crispiness you crave when baked at a high temperature. Use it as a base for your favorite homemade pizzas. You won't be disappointed (or tempted to reach for the white crust instead) again.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup bread flour
• 1 cup whole grain oat flour
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup water, 115 – 120 degrees F
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vital wheat gluten
• 2 tablespoons pure olive oil (not extra virgin)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 packet ( 2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast

Directions:

Combine the yeast, ½ cup water, and the sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir gently to dissolve the yeast, and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. It should start to appear bubbly and frothy. Add the remaining water, along with the bread flour and gluten, to the mixture and stir (or mix on low) to create a soft dough. Then, add the olive oil and salt, and continue stirring or mixing on low until these ingredients are incorporated into the dough.

If you are using a mixer, switch over to the dough hook attachment at this point. Otherwise, keep stirring by hand; make sure you're using a sturdy spoon or spatula because the dough is about to get firm. Add the oat flour, a little at a time, stirring or mixing constantly until it is incorporated into the dough. Then, either add the whole wheat flour and let the mixer knead it into the dough for 6 minutes, or spread the flour onto a surface and turn the dough out onto it before using your hands to knead it into the dough for about 10 minutes.

Your dough should become smoother and more elastic as you knead it. When you're done kneading, grease a bowl with a little olive oil, and place the dough inside it. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm place for 90 minutes.

Press down on the dough to remove the air. Then, use your hands to shape it into a ball. Place this dough on a greased pizza pan, and let it rest for 20 minutes. Then, shape the dough into a crust, and top it as desired. Depending on how thick you make your crust, it will need to bake (with toppings on) for 20 – 30 minutes at 425 degrees F.

If you don't have the time to make your own pizza, check out places like South Lanes Pizza.