It doesn't get much better than homemade pizza. It's also a simple & fun idea for dinner parties--make this ahead & portion out individual crusts...then at dinner time have each person make their own pizza. The best part - it significantly cuts down on planning/cooking work to do as the hostess (or host)!
When I first came across a grilled pizza recipe, I'd have to say I was a little skeptical. The crispy, nutty whole grain crust was just what I wanted from a pizza. I typically shy away from recipes calling for yeast; mainly because of a personal fear of messing it up--which is strange, because it's a very simple process. If you are in the habit of buying pre-made crusts; making your own can be much healthier and economical alternative. Personally..I'm a little shocked at how expensive pizza crusts can be. It's no wonder so many Americans choose to buy unhealthy, high-fat pizzas for $5.00 from Little Caesars when a whole wheat Boboli pizza crust costs the same amount at the grocery store! Okay, that's the end of my ranting...let's get to the good stuff!
There are some critical steps to making dough; but once you know the basics to the science, you will see it is actually quite easy to do! Each ingredient in dough making plays a very specific, scientific role. First you must understand the role of gluten. Gluten results when two proteins (glutenin and gliadin) are combined with a liquid (in this case water). The most important thing to know about gluten is that it doesn't exist until it is combined with liquid. Gluten gives the dough elasticity, helps it rise, hold its shape, and create the texture you want. This elastic gluten is what allows dough to strech as it rises. Different flours have different levels of protein (gluten), which is important factor when thinking of the type of dough to use. Bread flour typically has a higher protein content (12.5-13.5%) than all-purpose flour (10-12%) or cake flour (7-9%). Thanks to its high protein content, bread flour makes a firmer, stronger dough and is ideal for breads and hand-tossed pizza crust. Now, thinking about the opposite...low protein flours (ie. cake flour) produce less gluten; resulting in a softer, weaker dough with a crumb texture. That's an important thing to keep in mind when substituting flours in baking. Basically, the more gluten in flour--the more firm your product will be. Whole wheat flour creates less gluten than all-purpose flour; therefore creating a more dense loaf. Bread flour naturally has more gluten in it, so incorporating the two flours is helpful when trying to achieve that firmer texture in pizza crust.
Yeast is equally important in dough making. It is a living microscopic, single-celled organism that feeds on sugars and starches; producing alcohol and carbon dioxide waste by-products. This process is known as fermentation. Fermentation in food processing is the conversion of carbohydrates to alcohols and carbon dioxide using yeasts, bacteria, or both. In bread making, the carbon dioxide produced by yeast gets trapped and is what causes the dough to rise, or leaven. Because yeast is a living organism, it's important to be aware of the date before using yeast. Expired yeast could prevent bread from rising. The step requiring most caution is adding liquid to the yeast. Just as the gluten is activated by liquid, so is yeast. The only difference is the strict temperature range of water. For active dry yeast (used in this recipe), you want the water to be somewhere between 105-115 degrees Fahrenheit. Too hot and the yeast dies...too cold and your yeast is never activated. This is why I recommend purchasing a kitchen thermometer if you don't already have one & plan on making any yeast breads in the future.
Sugar, salt & oil also play roles in bread making. Sugar acts as food for yeast, allowing the leavening (rising) to happen; and is the main contributor in the browning of the bread. This browning is called the Maillard reaction. The Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction between an amino acid (protein) and sugar; requiring heat. With the combination of sugar and heat, this reaction has an ability to create hundreds of new flavor compounds in baking. Different amino acids create different levels of browning; thus different flavors. A side note - the Maillard reaction is also a physiological step in the formation of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs); an completely different topic! Both sugar (or honey) and salt are hygroscopic ingredients, meaning they absorb moisture from their surroundings; which is a key step during baking. Salt also gives flavor and controls yeast activity. Oil (or fat) helps to tenderize bread by coating gluten strands so they can't combine as easily. It also contributes to flavor, browning of bread, and helps to increase the shelf-life.
Now that you've gotten a brief overview of the science behind dough making, lets get to the good stuff....
Whole Wheat Grilled Pizza Dough
1 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour
1 cup whole wheat bread flour
1 package active-dry yeast
3/4 to 1 cup warm water (105-115 degrees Fahrenheit)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
*extra flour for kneading, and oil to grease a pan
Measure and combine flours. In a food processor combine flour, and yeast. In a small bowl combine the warm water, olive oil, honey, and salt. With the processor running, pour water mixture in a steady stream. Process until dough forms a mass and starts to pull away from the side of the bowl (see pictures above). Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead about 5 minutes, until smooth & elastic. This can also be done using the dough hook attachment on your stand mixer.
If using the knead hook, stop mixer, remove dough, and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a ball with your hands. Place dough in greased bowl that is at least twice as large as the ball of dough. Roll the dough around the bowl to grease the entire surface. Cover dough and let rise in warm place until it doubles in size. Covering the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap prevents oxygen from getting in; allowing the anaerobic process of fermentation to begin. Let it rise in a draft-free place; about 80-85 degrees F. A perfect place is inside of your oven with the oven light on. The light helps it warm up and rise.
Remove dough & make sure it's ready for the second kneading. Press two of your fingers about 1/2 to 1 inch deep into the center of the dough. If the indentations remain after you remove your fingers, the dough has doubled in size and is ready for the second kneading. Deflate the dough by punching your fist into the center. This releases some of the gasses, making it easier to shape. Remove dough from bowl, and reshape into a ball again. Cut the dough into equal portions using a serrated knife, reshape each portion into a ball. Lightly dust any surfaces with flour if the dough gets too sticky. Place balls of dough back into the greased bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let rest for about 10-15 more minutes.
Remove dough portions, and pat each piece into a disc. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion to a thin circle (about 8-10 inches in diameter). Line a baking sheet with waxed or parchment paper. Stack pizza dough rounds on the baking sheet, separating each piece with a sheet of paper. Wrap and freeze the dough for at least 2 hours, until firm and frozen.
For grilling: remove crusts from freezer, discard wax paper. Lightly brush the crust with olive oil. Heat grill to medium heat. Carefully slide the oiled pizza dough directly onto the grill rack. Grill uncovered for 1 to 2 minutes or until dough puffs up in some places, starting to become firm. Using large tongs or a grilling spatula, carefully and quickly turn the crust over and transfer to a baking sheet. For each pizza, spread the crispier side of the crust with your desired pizza sauce, toppings and cheese. Transfer the pizzas carefully back to the grill. Grill for a couple minutes on a lower heat until cheese is melted and the crust is crisp. Remove pizzas, transfer to a cutting board, slice, serve & enjoy!
*Note: If you are cooking on the lower grill rack, or if you have a hot grill, cook the pizza on top of an iron skillet to prevent the bottom from burning too quickly. I tested it with my old grill & it worked out well.
**when using wheat flour-- whole wheat dough is stickier, making it more difficult to shape sometimes. If you find yourself adding too much flour during the kneading process to keep your hands from sticking; instead put a little oil on your hands. This will help keep the dough from getting too firm.
