I Knead You!

Okay, cheesy title, I know but it had to be done.

Ah, fresh dough. The smell is so aromatic. Is there anything better?

No, I don't think so. I usually don't have the best luck with dough. I always make a huge mess, and get the dough all over my hands while cursing at myself and all those Betty Crockers who make it seem so effortless. But this.. oh this time, I got it right. Hallelujah! I guess the 3rd 4th 10th time really is the charm, eh?

What was different this time, you ask? For one, I made a smaller batch.. that might have helped. I just wanted a little dough to make a small pizza. Two, I did research, ensuring proper portion sizes of flour/water/yeast/sugar. Basically, I was prepared for this. You'd think I'd always be prepared, but then you really don't know me. :p

I didn't use regular flour, since I have none. Instead, I used flaxseed and oats ground up in a coffee grinder. Use whatever you might have on hand that can be ground into flour, I say. Oats, buckwheat, chickpeas, whatever! Go crazy! Cooking, I've found, is really a way to express your creativity and innovation.

Super Yummy Pizza Dough

[makes 1 small pizza]

1 1/2c flour of choice (mine was 2/3c ground flax and the rest oat flour)

1/2c warm water

2 1/4t active dry yeast

1t sugar of choice (I use organic coconut palm sugar)

Extra flour for kneading

1. Mix the warm water with the sugar until it's dissolved. Add the yeast and let it sit until it's super foamy, about 5-10 minutes.

2. Add the 1 1/2c flour and mix. It'll be super sticky, so don't touch it with your hands unless they're floured! 

3. Using a spatula, spoon the dough until a well floured surface. Adding more flour as needed, begin kneading the dough. Knead and add flour until it becomes less wet and doesn't stick. It should be elastic-like and be a little difficult to knead towards the end.

4. Place dough in an oiled bowl and let it rise for about 30 minutes.

5. Punch down the dough and let it rise another 30 minutes.

Voila! Now you can either refrigerate for later use, bake it up, or do what I did.

Make a personal pizza! This was about 2-3 servings worth of pizza. I simply rolled the dough out, placed it in a small 8x8 baking dish, brush it with olive oil mixed with garlic and onion powder, and topped it with my own homemade tomato sauce, which was really my "ketchup" mixed with some Italian spices. Then I added some sliced red bell pepper, mushrooms, arugula, a couple basil leaves, onion, baked egg plant, and nooch.

This. Was. Divine. So easy to adjust to one's own taste, that's why I love pizza. Basically, you just just throw whatever veggies you might have on top and toss it in the oven.

It's magical, really.

What's your favorite pizza? :)