Pesto Pizza Whole Wheat Recipes

HEALTHY WHOLE-WHEAT PIZZA WITH ARUGULA PARSLEY PESTO

Steps:

• For the dough: Stir together the warm water, honey and yeast in a measuring cup or small bowl. Let sit until a small layer of foam develops at the top, 3 to 5 minutes. (If this doesn't happen, your yeast is old; discard it and try again with new yeast.)
• Combine the flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and make a well in the center. Add the yeast mixture and oil to the well and incorporate with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula to reincorporate any dough stuck to the sides. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and keep in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Knead the dough on a floured surface just until smooth, a few seconds. Divide the dough into 2 balls, cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rest on the counter for 30 minutes.
• For the sauce: Put the tomatoes in a small bowl and rinse the can with about 2/3 cup of water into the bowl.
• Add the oil, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and crushed red pepper to a large skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the garlic just starts to turn golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato mixture and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, 15 to 20 minutes.
• For the pesto: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the pistachios on a baking sheet and toast, tossing once, until slightly browned and aromatic, about 8 minutes. Let cool, then pulse in a food processor until the texture of coarse sand. Add the arugula, parsley and 1/4 teaspoon salt and pulse until the mixture is evenly chopped. Drizzle the oil through the feed tube with the machine running until well incorporated.
• When you are ready to bake the pizza, place a pizza stone in the bottom of the oven and heat it to 450 degrees F. If you do not have a pizza stone, preheat a baking sheet that has been flipped over bottom-side up. Cut two 12-inch squares of parchment and dust with flour.
• On a floured surface, stretch one ball of dough to a 12-inch round, leaving a thick 3/4-inch border on the edge. Slide the dough onto one of the parchment squares, then slide the square onto the back of a baking sheet. Brush the entire round with 1/2 tablespoon oil. Spread the dough up to the border with half the tomato sauce. Dollop the pizza with half the pesto using a teaspoon. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup of the mozzarella and a pinch crushed red pepper. (Don't worry if it looks like too little cheese. It will melt and spread.) Slide the pizza and parchment from the baking sheet onto the hot pizza stone.
• Bake the pizza until the edges turn golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes, rotating halfway through cooking. Let cool for 2 minutes before slicing. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings.

PESTO PIZZA (WHOLE WHEAT)

Steps:

• Take 1 teaspoon instant yeast (3 grams) in a mixing bowl or in the stand mixer bowl.
• Add ½ teaspoon sugar and 1 cup water and mix well.
• Next add 3 cups whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons olive oil.
• If you do not have olive oil, use any neutral flavoured oil.
• Then add 1 tablespoon lemon juice. You can also use 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar instead of lemon juice.
• Attach the bowl to a stand mixer with the hook attachment. On a medium-high speed knead the dough. If kneading with hands, then mix everything very well and then knead for atleast 8 to 10 minutes.
• The dough should be smooth, pliable and soft. If the dough looks dry, then you can add some water while kneading. If the dough looks sticky, then you can sprinkle some flour.
• Spread some water all over the dough.
• Cover with a lid or a kitchen towel and allow to leaven for 45 minutes to 2 hours till the dough increases in volume and doubles up. If using dry active yeast, then keep for 2 hours to 3 hours or more. Timing varies with the temperature conditions in your city.
• The pizza dough will nicely increase in volume and double up.
• Knead the dough lightly again and then you can directly make pizzas from these. Or you can keep them covered in a tight box or pan. Spread some olive oil all over the dough before placing them in the box.
• Cover the box or pan with a tight fitting lid. Keep in refrigerator or freeze the whole wheat pizza dough. In the refrigerator this dough stays good for 4 to 5 days. In the freezer, you can store for a couple of weeks.
• Chop onion, tomato and capsicum (green bell pepper) in 1 cm cubes.
• Keep the veggies aside. I have also added ⅓ cup steamed sweet corn and some olives. You can add your choice of veggies in the pizza.
• Also preheat oven to its maximum temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before baking.
• Grease a 9 inch pan or tray with some extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle some flour all over. You can even use cornmeal or semolina for sprinkling.
• Take a medium to large sized pizza dough ball and sprinkle some flour on it.
• Roll to a thin pizza having 0.3 to 0.5 cm thickness.
• Carefully lift and place the pizza in the greased baking pan or tray.
• Spread pesto sauce all over the pizza. You can add less or more as per your needs.
• Now top with mozzarella cheese or pizza cheese as required.
• Place the mix vegetables, steamed corn and olive slices.
• Keep the pizza pan in the center rack using both the top and bottom heating elements in the preheated oven. Also keep your oven's highest temperature. My oven has 250 degrees celsius as the highest. You can also keep the pizza pan in the centre rack.
• After the cheese got golden, I kept the pizza pan on the lowest tray and kept only the bottom heating element on. This is to make the pizza base crisp and crusty. In case cheese does not turn golden, then keep the tray either in the centre or top rack and keep only the top heating element on. But do keep a check as this way the cheese gets browned faster and the pizza sides can burn also.
• Bake for 10 to 15 minutes till the base gets golden and the cheese also melts and gets golden.
• Before serving, add some dried oregano or red chili flakes or fresh or dried basil if you want. You can also drizzle some extra virgin olive on the pesto pizza before serving. Serve pesto pizza hot.