We eat pizza a lot.  Like – at least once a week.  This is probably due to the fact that whenever I ask Frank what he wants for dinner his answer is always “pizza”.  Without a doubt.

The downfall of this?  Pizza can be outrageously expensive.  Especially if you order delivery.  It can cost us about $30 for just the two of us (this is including the delivery fee and the tip).  So – eating pizza once a week?  That’s $120. a month!  A freaking month.  On pizza.

That’s when I decided to venture into making pizza at the house.  It is surprisingly easy.  And we can make tried-and-]true favorites or mess around with the toppings – like the jalapeno sausage corn pizza that I’ll be sharing with you on Wednesday.

This is one of the best pizza crust recipes I’ve made so far.  It’s a whole wheat crust, which is something we can’t typically get when we order delivery – but it’s soft enough that you’d think you were eating a white-floured pizza.  Not only that, but the pizza crust recipe makes enough for two medium sized pizzas and the dough is freezable, so it’s quite the time saver the following week!

Let’s talk about yeast.  This ingredient can be tricky – especially when it comes to the temperature because you can kill your yeast shortly after starting… but I’ve made pizza dough enough times that I assure you, if you follow the recipe, you’ll have a great tasting crust each and every time!

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

freezer friendly * total cost: $1.94 * cost per serving: $0.97 * servings – 2

• 1 tsp sugar – $0.01
• t tbsp yeast (I use Fleischmann’s brand) – $0.44
• 1 1/2 c water (warm for 45 seconds in a microwave)
• 2 tbsp olive oil, separated – $0.30
• 1 tbsp honey – $0.14
• 1 tsp salt – $0.01
• 3 1/4 c whole wheat flour – $1.04

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, combine the sugar, yeast and warmed water.  Stir it around a let it sit for about 5 minutes or until the yeast is foamy and dissolved.  This is called proofing the yeast.  If it doesn’t dissolve and foam, your yeast is dead, and you’ll need to start again with active yeast.  Once foamy, add 1 tbsp of olive oil, honey and salt and mix together for about 30 seconds.  Add 3 cups of the whole wheat flour and mix together on low until the dough starts to come together.  If dough is still pulling from the sides, add an additional 1/4-1/3 cup (although 1/4 has always been good for me).

Once mixed, let the mixer knead the dough for 5 minutes on a medium-low speed.  After kneading, your dough should be smooth and elastic.

Use the last 1 tbsp of olive oil to coat a bowl.  Add the dough into the coated bowl and turn it over to coat all sides of the dough.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm environment for about 2 hours (or until the dough doubles in size).  Once the dough is doubled, punch it down and it will deflate.

Cut the dough in two.

***Freezing/Thawing – If you do not need two pizzas, freeze the other dough ball for a later use.  Lightly spray all sides of the dough ball with non-stick spray (or more olive oil) and place in an individual zipped top bag, sealing tightly.  Freeze for up to three months.  When you are ready to use the second dough ball, place it in the freezer overnight and then pull out of the fridge 30 minutes prior to making the pizzas so that the dough can come to room temperature.

***Baking instructions – Preheat your oven to 475 degrees.  Grease your pizza pan with a non stick spray and then sprinkle with cornmeal.  This will allow the pizza crust to not stick and give it that “delivery-style” texture.  Flatten your dough into a 12-inch round circle.  I tend to “pinch” the edges together to make that raised crust look around the outer perimeter, and then brush with olive oil to crisp the edges up.  Top with your favorite toppings and bake for 15 minutes or until the crust is browned.

Slice and serve immediately.