Recipe: Thin Crust Mozzarella Pizza
October 3rd, 2011 11:47 am by Kelly
Another weekend, another vegan pizza – and the search for the perfect thin crust recipe continues! (Or at the very least a serviceable thin crust recipe!) Unlike the last thin crust pizza I shared with y’all, this one actually does have some semblance of thinness about it. Not as thin as a piece of pita bread, but at least half the size of the puffy, fluffy white pizza dough we normally use. Also: delicious and relatively easy to make. No complaints here, but…
…as I said earlier, the search for the perfect thin crust pizza continues!
Thin Crust Mozzarella Pizza
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 package active dry yeast (or pizza yeast)
3/4 cup warm water (105°F-115°F)
1/2 tsp. of salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Optional: spices to taste (e.g., cumin, basil, cayenne pepper, thyme, oregano, red pepper, tomato powder, chili powder, ground flax seeds, and/or nutritional yeast, to name a few)
Cornmeal or cooking spray with which to coat the pizza stone or pizza pan
The toppings of your choice: red sauce, nondairy cheese, vegan meats, nuts, seeds, fruits and/or veggies
(The pie pictured above sports red sauce, mozzarella Follow Your Heart cheese, Lightlife Smart Pepperoni, carrots and sundried tomatoes.)
Directions
1. To make the dough, dissolve yeast in warm water and set aside for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour and add the yeast mixture and olive oil.
2. Stir the dough until it begins to form a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 6-8 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Add a light dusting of flour if the dough is too sticky to knead (or oil your hands with olive oil).
3. Brush a large, clean bowl with olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl and brush with oil. Cover with a damp, lint-free towel. Allow to rise in a warm place, draft-free place until doubled in size (about 90 minutes).
4. When you’re ready to assemble and bake your pizza, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
5. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough onto a pizza stone or pizza pan lightly dusted with cornmeal. When you’re done shaping the dough, add your toppings: sauce, veggies, “meat,” cheese, fruit, nuts, etc.
5. Bake at 425 degrees, for between 15 and 20 minutes for a single pizza, or 30 minutes for two pizzas.
6. Enjoy!
