let's talk about pizza

If you are trying to fill your life with healthy things, then I'm betting that "pizza" is maybe a dirty word....right? It's a greasy, cheesy, fat laden mess.

But it doesn't have to be. 
In the summer, we eat pizza about once a week--and load it up with whatever veggies we pulled from our own back yard or brought home from the farmer's market, so each time we make it, it's a little bit different. 

Crust 
(recipe adapted from Martha Stewart)

*this will make 4 pizzas--I freeze the dough so I can pull it out in a hurry

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 cups warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees)
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1-1 1/2 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons salt
Extra-virgin olive oil, for bowl

Directions

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour and the salt, stirring until smooth. Stir in an additional bread flour; continue adding flour (up to 1/2 cup), 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until dough comes away from bowl but is still sticky.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead with lightly floured hands. Start by slapping the dough onto the counter, pulling it toward you with one hand and pushing it away from you with the other. Fold the dough back over itself (use a bench scraper or a wide knife to help scrape dough from surface). Repeat until it's easier to handle, about 10 times. Finish kneading normally until dough is smooth, elastic, and soft, but a little tacky, about 10 minutes.
Shape dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly oiled bowl; turn to coat. Cover with plastic, and let rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume. Press it with your finger to see if it's done; an indent should remain.

Meanwhile, scrape dough out of the bowl onto floured surface, and cut it into 4 pieces. Shape into balls. Dust with flour, and cover with plastic. Let rest, 20 to 30 minutes, allowing dough to relax and almost double.
Holding top edge of 1 dough ball in both hands, let bottom edge touch work surface (refrigerate remaining balls as you work). Carefully move hands around edge to form a circle, as if turning a wheel. Hold dough on back of your hand, letting its weight stretch it into a 12-inch round. Transfer dough to a lightly floured pizza peel (or an inverted baking sheet). Press out edges using your fingers. Jerk peel; if dough sticks, lift, and dust more flour underneath.

We like our pizza grilled:
Place dough onto oiled pizza pan. Place on grill preheated to medium high heat.
Grill until crust is almost done on one side.
Flip the crust, and add your favorite toppings to the side that's done. Place back on grill (lid down) until cheese is melted, edges are golden, and we like the bottom a bit blackened.

sauce:
in the summer I always use fresh tomatoes--just crushed up a bit and spread around on the crust. For now I just used a good can of whole tomatoes, and spread them around.

toppings:

-mozzarella cheese

-carmelized onions

-roasted red peppers

-a few pieces of prosciutto, torn up

-a few crumbles of herbed goat cheese

.....after the pizza is cooked, we added arugula to the top (don't knock it till you try it....), and a splash of balsamic.

yum.

see some of our other pizza favs here
what do you like on your pizza?