Blending Flavors: Homemade Whole wheat Pizza

Pizza is the most versatile dish in the world and it is a surprise to find anyone who would hate pizza. If given a chance I think kids would gorge on pizza everyday for every meal.

Growing up in Mumbai I have memories of the first pizza I had, it was a small pre-made base with onion, bell pepper and tomatoes, tomato ketchup and cheese topped on it. I still loved that. But then with the entry of Pizza hut, Dominoes and Smoking Joe's I realized what we used to have would be a pizza made by a kid. These new chains came with pizzas suitable for the Indian palate with tandoori chicken pizza, paneer tikka pizza and all. I think that is the beauty of pizza, you can get so creative with the toppings that really sky is the limit. So it can be enjoyed by people of all ethnicities and culture.

Again the pizza that you get in Italy (the land which gave us the pizza) is nowhere close to what you get in Pizza huts. I think the freshness of the ingredients makes the difference. But ultimately the taste and good ingredients matters. So I would like to share my recipe for the whole wheat pizza which tastes good and has healthy ingredients too.

Ingredients:

For the base

2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup all purpose flour

1-1/2 cups warm water

1 packet dry active yeast

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil

For the sauce

5 tomatoes chopped roughly

3 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic minced

1 small onion chopped fine

1-1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar/ honey

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degree F.

For the base

Mix sugar in warm water and add yeast on top of the water. Let it sit for 15 minutes and the yeast will become frothy.
Add salt to the frothy water and mix well.
In a large bowl, take whole wheat and all purpose flour. Mix it with a whisk. Add the water mixture to the flour and mix well. Add more water, if you feel that the mixture is too dry, a tablespoon at a time.
Add oil and knead the mixture into smooth and soft dough.
Cover the dough with cling wrap loosely and let it rest for at least an hour. It will double in size.

For the sauce

In a pan add olive oil and when it heats up saute garlic and onion for a minute.
Add chopped tomatoes and salt.
Let the tomatoes cook well and be all mushed up.
Add tomato ketchup and sugar/ honey.
Add the Italian seasoning and paprika. Let the mixture simmer for a minute or two.
Remove from heat and the sauce is ready for use.

Assemble Pizza

Remove the dough, it must have doubled in size. Punch it and knead once more and make two large balls out of it
Roll each ball into pizza base. Roll it to a thickness of 1/2" to 1/4" according to your preference.

Top the base with sauce, add mozzerella and any other cheese.
Top it with your favorite veggies, meat, or even fruits like apple, pineapple, etc.
Top off with mozerella and any cheese of your choice.
My toppings were spinach, corn, onion and paneer (an Indian hard cottage cheese)