Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Servings: makes 3- 12 inch regular crust or 3- 18 inch thin crust

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat  flour
• 1 cup all purpose or white flour
• 1 Tbs olive oil
• pinch of salt

Put the warm water in a bowl, you will need it to be pretty warm.  Add the yeast and use a fork or whisk to dissolve the yeast.  Set aside for 5 minutes, until you see it slowly bubbling.

Sift to combine the flours and put into a large bowl or stand mixer.  Create a divot into the flour and pour the yeast mixture, olive oil and salt.  Slowly push the flours into the yeast mixture and combine until dough begins to form.  If using stand mixture, start on low speed to prevent flour from flying everywhere and then slowly bring up to medium speed.

If dough is not coming together, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time and remix until dough forms.  If dough is too loose or sticky, add tablespoon of flour.

Once dough is thoroughly combined, remove from bowl.  Put dough ball into a clean bowl with dash of olive oil, roll dough ball into olive oil.  ”Score” top of dough ball by drawing an X with a knife  and then cover bowl with damp cloth/towel/paper towel etc.  Set aside for 1 -2 hours or until dough has doubled in size.

After dough has doubled, punch the ball down and divide into 3 equal portions.

You can freeze the dough for later use or roll out on lightly floured surface and use immediately.   For thin crust, stretch dough and let sit aside for 15 minutes prior to putting into the hot oven.  If during the 15 minute period the dough shrinks back, re-stretch.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes.