Whole Grain Pesto Pizza

A meal plan to cover protein, vegetables and whole grains is found here in the Spinach Pesto Pizza.  My "sauce" has fresh chopped spinach.  The toppings include sweet red peppers, ricotta cheese and a taste of sweet Italian Sausage.  The whole wheat pizza crust, baked on a pizza stone is perfect.  Here's are my crust and sauce recipes. 

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

(Serves 4)

Mix flour, yeast and sugar in the bowl of an an electric mixer with dough hook in place.  Slowly add 1 cup warm water.  Beat at medium speed 2 minutes.
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (125F) water

Add 1/2 cup flour, oil and salt.  Beat at medium speed 2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl.
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

At low speed of mixer, slowly add remaining flour.  Knead for about 5 minutes until dough leaves the sides of the bowl.
1 cup whole wheat flour
Place in a bowl greased with olive oil spray.  Turn dough to cover.  Let rise in refrigerator for 2-12 hours.

When ready to assemble, remove dough from refrigerator.  Turn onto board dusted with cornmeal.  Form into ball.  Roll into desired shape.  (My pizza stone is rectangular, so I rolled into a rectangle).  Place onto parchment paper.  (I invert a rectangular baking sheet and placed the parchment paper and dough on that. It makes it easy to slide the dough with the paper into the oven and onto a preheated pizza stone).
Whole grain cornmeal (for rolling and dusting)

Brush with sauce, to about 1 inch of edges.  Top with additional vegetables, cheeses and meat.  Pinch edges of dough over to the sauce.  Brush edge of dough with olive oil.  Sprinkle with cornmeal.  Slide dough onto preheated stone.  Bake at 425 F. for 12 minutes.

Spinach Pesto

(Serves 4)

Mix and chop fine in a mini  food processor.
1 cup spinach leaves, stems removed, packed
3-4 garlic cloves
1/3 cup Parmigiano cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil

What is your favorite pizza "sauce"?