Who Wants Something Yummy?

This week I've been making a lot of pizza. And before you think, "Wait, that doesn't help me with all these fresh vegetables I've got here in my fridge," let me reassure you. My pizzas are loaded with veggies. Spinach and fresh shallots, onions, peppers, kale even. Here is a very easy recipe that will give you lots of pizza pleasure without the highly processed pizza guilt.

Very Good Pizza

for the crust:
1 1/2 cups hot water (please, don't take hot water from the tap and use it - never eat or drink hot tap water, it's loaded with metals from the pipes and germs - heat some cold water up)
1 packet yeast
1-2 tsp sugar
4 cups white unbleached flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

Put the hot water, yeast, sugar, and 1 cup of the flour in the bowl of your food processor fitted with either the plastic dough blade or the regular metal cutting blade. (You can also make this dough using a mixer or by hand.) Pulse a couple times to mix, let sit for 5 minutes or so. Add the rest of the flour, the oil, and the salt and mix, using the dough setting if your processor has one, for a minute or two. Stop, scrape down the bowl, mix again for a minute or two. The dough should be, well, dough. Not too sticky, not crumbly. Mix again for a minute, take out and hand knead for a minute or so then place in an oiled bowl, turn dough over to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Put in a warmish out of the way place and allow to rise until doubled in size. Punch down, allow to rise again. If you live at a high altitude, as I do, the dough will rise faster than at a low altitude - but it is the amount of time it proofs that makes it good so let it rise twice. When you are ready too shape, top, and bake pizza do this:
Cut dough into two or three pieces for bigger pizzas, many pieces for little ones. Roll with a rolling pin until pretty thin but not thin enough to rip. If the dough rips, just pinch it back together. Place dough on a board or pizza peel on corn meal, top then put on in a hot oven on a hot pizza stone. Bake at 425 until cheese is melty and browning and crust is starting to brown a little. Take out, let sit for a minute or two then cut. Eat, yum yum. (If you don't have a pizza stone, either buy one - it is worth it, Target sells one for $10, just make sure to follow heating directions) or cook your pizzas on a cookie sheet.

for the toppings:
"wet" base for crust: tomato sauce, pesto (the arugula one below is good), olive oil
grated cheese: mozzarella, cheddar, smoked provolone, etc
crumbled cheese: feta, chevre, etc
finely sliced greens: spinach, kale, arugula, chard
chopped or sliced vegetables: mushrooms, onions, peppers, shallots, tomatoes, etc
other veggie toppings: olives, fresh green peas, capers, artichoke hearts, corn kernels, fresh herbs, etc
non-veggie toppings: vegan pepperoni, sausage, salami, ham (or the real thing, if you are so inclined)
and if you don't eat cheese, try crumbled tofu instead

Spread a thin layer of the "wet" base on the crust, leaving about 1/4" dry crust at the edges. Put some cheese, then your other toppings, then more cheese as you like. You can sprinkle with crushed red chili flakes, dried or fresh herbs, a drizzle of olive oil or balsamic vinegar. Yum. Really.