How did it happen? How did pizza become America’s comfort food? When I’m stressed and in no mood to cook, I want pizza. When any event involving kids happens, pizza is served. The combination of bread, sauce and cheese has Prozac-like properties. According to Domino’s Pizza, Americans eat 350 slices of pizza per second. My family decided to help that statistic grow…
A few years ago the kids and I went on a pizza tour. We set out to find our favorite. We visited six pizza shops in a two hour period. Now I know pizza is not a healthy food. I get it, I’m the wellness mom. But pizza is a weakness. I pay the next day with a bloated feeling and puffy eyes from the salt and carbs, but “mmm, I love a good pizza”.
Working on Six Pittsburgh Pizzas
The tour was successful and other than no one wanting pizza for several weeks, we all have fond memories of our mad pizza dash. And although it wasn’t the healthiest excursion, it did expose the kids to the concept of food quality. We ranked the pizzas on crust, sauce, flavor, and toppings. After tasting a crust baked over a wood fire, a frozen concoction in a box no longer held any special appeal. So now I have a house full of pizza snobs.
Fiori's A Pittsburgh Pizza Institution - 2nd Place
My own homemade pizza still remains one of my family’s favorites. It is hard to get a whole wheat crust to taste like it’s from a pizza parlor oven, but the quality of toppings, including fresh mozzarella, homemade pesto and nitrate free pepperoni, make mine stand out in the flavor department. I made one a couple weeks ago with grilled veggies and goat cheese. (Okay, my kids didn’t eat it but I thought it was delish!)
If you’re doing your part to contribute to the 350 slices per second, and really, who isn’t eating pizza, consider making a healthier version yourself.
Whole Wheat Crust Pizza
I like to roll the crust very thin so it gets crunchy like a true Italian-style pizza. This recipe makes two full cookies tray sized pizzas…cold pizza the next day isso good! Start your dough by 4:00 and pizza is ready by 6:00.
• 2 cups warm water
• 3 tsp. yeast
• 4 ½ cups whole wheat white or regular whole wheat flour (white whole wheat is from a lighter grain and is still 100% whole wheat, if using all regular whole wheat you may want to cut it with some all-purpose flour)
• 1 ½ tsp. salt
• 1 ½ tsp. dried Italian herbs
• 2 Tbs. corn meal (for dusting pans)
Put warm water in the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let stand until foamy. With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the salt and herbs then slowly add the flour one cup at a time. Let the mixer knead dough for 6-8 minutes. Dough should pull away from the sides and be smooth to the touch. Add more flour if dough is sticky. Put dough in a large, greased bowl and cover with a dishcloth. Allow dough to rise in a warm, draft-free area for about 45 min. to an hour. Punch the dough down and divide into two pieces.
On a floured cutting board, using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a large rectangle. If the dough sticks, add more flour. The dough should be fairly thin. Transfer the pizza crust to an 18×13 cookie sheet that has been dusted with 1 TBS of the cornmeal. It may lose its shape a bit when you transfer…just reshape it once it is on the tray. Repeat with the second ball of dough and place on second cookie sheet. Top with homemade sauce and favorite toppings. Bake at 450 for 15-20 minutes. You should rotate pizzas in the oven. Allow the pizza to cool for 5 minutes before you cut.
Homemade Pizza Sauce:
• 1 15 oz can organic tomato sauce
• 1 tsp. dried Italian herb mix
• ½ tsp. dried oregano
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. sugar (if you like a bit sweeter sauce)
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl while dough is rising. Easy, easy.
This is also published at Fight Back Friday.
