Pesto Pizza (Whole Wheat)

Ingredients

for pizza dough

• 3 cups whole wheat flour or 360 grams whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast or 3 grams of instant yeast
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup water – you can also add 1.25 cups water or add as required depending upon the quality of wheat flour

for pesto pizza toppings

• 1 medium onion, cut in 1 cm cubes
• 1 medium capsicum cut in 1 cm cubes
• 1 medium tomato, seeds removed and cut in 1 cm cubes
• ⅓ cup boiled corn or steamed corn kernels
• 7 to 8 black olives, sliced or add as required
• ½ cup pesto sauce or as required
• mozzarella cheese or pizza cheese as required
• dried oregano as required
• dried or fresh basil as required, optional
• red chili flakes as required, optional

Steps

making pizza dough

1. Choose a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, and put 1 teaspoon instant yeast (3 grams) in it.
2. Mix in ½ teaspoon sugar and 1 cup water thoroughly.
3. Add whole wheat flour (3 cups), salt (1 teaspoon) and olive oil (3 tablespoons) to the yeast mixture.
4. Any neutral-flavored oil may replace the olive oil if it is unavailable.
5. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or replace it with 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
6. Attach the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment and knead on medium-high speed. For hand kneading, mix everything thoroughly first, then knead for at least 8 to 10 minutes.
7. Aim for a smooth, pliable, soft dough. Add some water during kneading if it looks dry, or sprinkle in flour if it looks sticky.
8. Coat the dough all over by spreading some water over it.
9. Cover with a lid or kitchen towel and let rise for 45 minutes to 2 hours, until increased in volume and doubled. With dry active yeast, allow 2 hours to 3 hours or more. The time depends on the surrounding temperature.
10. The leavened dough will have expanded and doubled in volume.
11. Give the dough another light knead and use it directly for pizzas, or keep it covered in a tight box or pan. Before putting it in the box, spread olive oil all over the dough.
12. Close the box or pan with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate or freeze. It keeps in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days, or in the freezer for a couple of weeks.

other preparations

1. Cut the onion, tomato and capsicum (green bell pepper) into 1 cm cubes.
2. Set the vegetables aside, along with ⅓ cup steamed sweet corn and some olives. Vegetables of your choice may also be used.
3. Allow 15 to 20 minutes for the oven to preheat at its highest setting before baking.
4. Grease a 9 inch pan or tray with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle flour all over it. Cornmeal or semolina may be used for sprinkling instead.

making pesto pizza

1. Dust a medium to large ball of pizza dough with some flour.
2. Roll out a thin base 0.3 to 0.5 cm thick.
3. Lift the pizza carefully and place it in the greased pan or tray.
4. Spread pesto over the whole pizza, using more or less according to your needs.
5. Top with as much mozzarella or pizza cheese as required.
6. Arrange the mixed vegetables, steamed corn and olive slices over it.

baking pesto pizza

1. Keep the pizza pan on the centre rack of the preheated oven, with both top and bottom heating elements on at the oven’s highest setting. That highest setting is 250 degrees celsius in the example oven.
2. Once the cheese is golden, move the pan to the lowest tray with only the bottom heating element on, to make the base crisp and crusty. If the cheese does not become golden, use the centre or top rack with only the top element on. Watch closely, because this browns the cheese faster and the pizza sides can burn.
3. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the base is golden and the cheese has melted and turned golden too.
4. Before serving, add dried oregano, red chili flakes or fresh or dried basil if desired. Extra virgin olive oil may also be drizzled over the pizza before serving. Serve hot.