Pizza Dough (Crust), Whole WheatPizza Dough (Crust), Whole Wheat
From All-Creatures.org Vegan - Vegetarian Recipe Book: How Mary and Frank and Friends Eat

"We are dedicated to cruelty-free living through a vegetarian - vegan lifestyle. Let no animal suffer or die that we may live!"

Ingredients

Pizza Dough (Crust), Whole Wheat
4 cups Whole Wheat or Spelt, flour
4 tsp. Yeast, baking
1/4 cup Molasses, unsulfured
1-2 tbsp. Lecithin, soy, liquid (optional dough enhancer)
1/4 tsp. Ginger (optional dough enhancer)
1/4 tsp. Vitamin C, crystals (optional dough enhancer)
2 cups Water (approximate)

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Preparation

Pizza dough (crust), whole wheat is a great vegan recipe for a thick crust or deep-dish pizza, or to just eat as a large, round, somewhat flat, bread that can be cut into wedges. It also can be made into garlic bread. We bake our pizza dough on a pizza stone in the oven at 350 degrees F.

Place the dry dough ingredients in your dough mixer or a large bowl.  If the flour is freshly ground (like ours) and is still warm from grinding, do not add the yeast until the flour has been mixed with water and has cooled down.

Add the lecithin (pour in the estimated amount, as it is very sticky) to the dry ingredients along with the molasses and about half of the water, and mix well.  Add additional water in small quantities, as needed, to facilitate proper mixing and kneading.  (Don't forget to add the yeast if your flour was freshly ground.)

We prefer to coat the pizza stone with a dusting of flour or corn meal to prevent sticking.  We also use a little flour to help shape the dough, by placing a dusting on our clean countertop and on our hands.  We begin by forming a ball with our hands, adding a little flour as needed.  Then we press or roll the dough out on the flour dusted countertop and work into the approximate shape of the pizza stone.  We turn the dough over several times during this process, and re-dust as necessary with flour.

We then transfer the dough to the pizza stone.  It is easier if the dough is rolled or folded prior to lifting from the countertop.  Unfold the pizza dough on the pizza stone and roll to the edge of the pizza stone. Leave the edges of the dough slightly higher than the center.

Place the pizza stone in the warming drawer of your oven or in another warm place to rise.  When the dough has doubled in size, it is ready for the first phase of baking (15-20 minutes).

Bake the pizza dough in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F. for about 15-20 minutes to firm the crust.  Remove from the oven and top the pizza as desired to within a half inch of the edge of the pizza crust. Place back in the oven for another 20 minutes to complete the pizza.

If just making this recipe as a bread, bake the risen dough for 35-40 minutes.

Serve and Enjoy!

Ingredients Information

Utensils and Equipment Information

Vegan FlagThe above recipe is in keeping with God's creation intent (Genesis 1:29-31): 'Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground-- everything that has the breath of life in it-- I give every green plant for food." And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.' (NIV) Let no animal suffer or die that we may live!