garlic bread pizza crust
When it comes to pizza crust, this gal doesn’t mess around. I’ve been around the block, if you will, when it comes to homemade pizza crusts. So when I find a new pizza crust recipe, it better be good.
Oh. Magosh. Did this one ever fit the bill.
You see, there are two things I love to eat more than most things in the world: Pizza and garlic bread. If these two things were their own food groups, I’d be super-duper healthy. I would freaking own the food pyramid. You get the idea — I have a serious food crush on pizza and garlic bread. So when mine eyes laid upon this particular recipe which COMBINES THE TWO, I was utterly bewitched, body and soul (all Mr. Darcy-style).
People, this is a food revelation. Who knew two wonders of the world could be mixed into one delicious recipe? I mean, it totally makes sense, doesn’t it? Garlic and cheese, cheese and butter, butter and bread… dear Lord. It’s an everyday miracle. A lot like when you find a dollar on the ground, or when the person in front of you pays for your drink at Starbucks, or when you get a random card in the mail from an old friend, just because. These are the things that make us surprisingly happy.
Let’s just put it this way: I would give this pizza crust a hug, if I could. And I’d give you a hug, too, if you made it. And then I’d probably invite myself over to your home and eat it for dinner with you. So, you know… just let me know what time to come over. Kthanksbye.
Garlic Bread Pizza Crust
Adapted from How Sweet It Is
Yields: 1 large pizza
Ingredients:
1 1/8 cups warm water
3 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups white whole wheat or whole wheat flour + 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour OR 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Toppings: cheese, meat (we used this and it was delicious), veggies, etc.
Directions:
In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, combine water, yeast, honey and olive oil. Whisk lightly with a fork and let rest for 10 minutes until puffed and foamy. Add 2 1/2 cups flour, salt, garlic powder, dried basil and dried oregano and stir with a spoon or dough hook until dough comes together. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead 10 minutes, adding more remaining flour as necessary until dough is smooth, elastic and slightly sticky OR mix dough in a stand mixer with a dough hook about 5-7 minutes on medium speed, adding more remaining flour as necessary until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is smooth, elastic and slightly sticky. Shape dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl covered with a towel or plastic wrap to rise, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Punch down risen dough and place on a lightly floured baking sheet or pizza stone. Pat into a thin crust (don’t use a rolling pin: This will break up the air bubbles in the crust and it won’t be as light and airy once baked). Let dough rest 10 minutes; meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter and stir in garlic and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese.
Once dough has rested, spoon or brush butter mixture onto the crust, concentrating on the edges. Place desired toppings on top of prepared crust and bake 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted and gooey. While pizza is baking, melt remaining tablespoon of butter and mix with remaining Parmesan cheese.
Remove pizza from oven and brush butter mixture on fully baked crust. Let pizza rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Wow, sounds great! I think my DH would eat this every day, if he had the chance.
Nawwwww I wanna hug a pizza!!!! Must make!
I just used this dough to make calzones and they were out of this world!!! Brush with egg and cream wash and bake at 500 degrees until golden brown!
My super hot girlfriend just made this recipe for me, and her, it tasted good as hell!