PIZZA CRUST

It took me a while to get used to vegan pizza.  I mean, I was an extra, extra cheese please kind of girl.  As I tried my hand at different pizzas, I realized that the crust was more important than ever!  In the past, the cheese covered up any other flavor, and a bad crust could be forgiven.  But not now.  I could buy those pre-made pizza crusts, and they had had the convenience that I wanted from a pizza, but I didn't want to spend $6 on the crust alone.  So I set out to find a dough that I could make for cheap and that I could freeze for easy use later.  This is that crust.  It is nice and doughey, like a pizza crust should be, it's cheap (just check out the ingredients), and I can make 3 with this recipe and freeze the rest for later use.  How great is that?

Ingredients: (makes 3)

* ¾ oz active dried yeast (1 small package)
* 2 tsp sugar
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 ¾ cups warm water
* 2 cups flour (either all the same flour or 2 cups wheat flour and 3 cups white flour)
* 1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

1. Mix together yeast, sugar, and water, and stir until dissolved.  Set aside and allow the mixture to activate, about 5 minutes (this means it will turn a little frothy)

2. Add half the flours (or flour), and stir until a batter forms.  Add the remaining flour a little at a time until the mixture becomes too stiff to stir.  Mix in any remaining flour by hand.

3. Remove dough from the bowl and place it on a floured work surface.  Knead the dough by folding it onto itself until it is smooth and elastic.  Adjust the consistency, if needed, with a bit of water or flour, adding 1 Tbsp at a time.

4. Turn oven on 200 degrees for 2 minutes, then turn off.  Meanwhile, form dough into a ball.  Coat a large bowl and dough with oil.  Put the dough in the bowl, cover it with a warm kitchen towel, and put dough in oven for 90 minutes.

5. After 90 minutes, give the dough some light slaps to flatten it out, then put it back in the oven for about 40 minutes.

Freezing the dough

6. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

7. Punch the dough and knead it once or twice only.  Cut the dough in 3 equal sizes (6 if you want little individual pizzas).

8. Dust the dough, work surface, and your hands with plenty of flour, and roll the dough out with a rolling pin.

9. Bake dough for 3 or 4 minutes, then remove it and let cool.  Wrap pizza crust and freeze. 

When crust is needed defrost it on the countertop for 30 minutes, add toppings, and bake until crust is crisp.