thin and crispy einkorn pizza crust

As I mentioned on the Instagram, last week turned out to be an accidental pizza week around these parts. And that was A-OK with me.

On Tuesday, we had some friends over for dinner and we made homemade pizza with my favorite no-knead crust. Then on Thursday, I made this pizza — this deliciously flaky, thin and crispy pizza crust made from einkorn flour (which I will explain more about in a sec, NOT TO WORRY) topped with roasted potatoes (that taste like potato chips on a pizza, major swoooooon), fresh mozzarella, red onion, roasted garlic and fresh rosemary. Then on Friday, I made a dessert pizza with a sugar cookie crust for a client.

You may say all that pizza-ing is just too much; I say it was glorious, and I hope to repeat it one day — nay, week — soon. Probably like next week.

Until then, memories of this pizza in particular will linger as it was my favorite of the whole week. I mean, potato chips on a pizza, guys. You just can’t go wrong with the carbs-on-carbs combo.

OK so about that einkorn business. I recently received a copy of Shanna and Tim Mallon’s cookbook, “The Einkorn Cookbook,” to review. Do you know Shanna and Tim, of Food Loves Writing? Not only do they create beautiful recipes on their site, but the writing is fantastic and poignant. I highly suggest you skedaddle over to their blog as soon as you’re done reading more about this amazing pizza crust that comes straight from their new book.

Before delving into this book, I’d never really heard of einkorn, much less baked or cooked with it. But it’s kind of awesome — not only is the ancient grain easier on the belly in terms of digestion (including those with gluten sensitivities), but you can enjoy it both in whole berry form or in flour form. The sweet flavor and silky texture of the einkorn lend themselves well to anything from vegetable quiche, kale salad, cinnamon buns, breads and cookies — all of which are recipes found in the cookbook, by the way. I might be drooling just thinking about them, I don’t know.

I decided to go with this recipe from their book for a thin and crispy pizza crust — it just sounded too darn good to pass up. After procuring some einkorn flour from the interwebs (though word on the street is it’s becoming easier and easier to find in local coops and grocery stores), I got to work on my pizza eating week I mean, pizza research week. Of course.

Here is what I love about this pizza crust: Um, it’s EASY. Like, you mix some stuff in a bowl, cover it with a towel or plastic wrap, and let it sit for about an hour. You’re not really waiting for it to double in size like with most pizza recipes, but just so it gets a little puffy. Then you press the dough super-duper-thin (about 1/4-inch thick I’d say, so way thinner than the photo below shows) onto a sheet of parchment paper, top it with all the toppings you could ever desire, and bake it for 12 to 15 minutes. That is all. And the result is a perfectly crumbly, flaky and ever-so-slightly chewy crust with a uniquely mild sweetness to it. It’s really the perfect texture and flavor for a pizza crust (most excellent call on that one, Tim and Shanna!). The edges get all golden brown and crackery, too, which I heart a million times over. And also ate a million times over.

Below are instructions for exactly how I did up my pizza: Instead of two smaller pizzas as indicated in the book, I just made one gigantor pizza. I topped it with a brushing of olive oil, roasted garlic, sliced red onions, fresh mozzarella, thin-sliced roasted red potatoes, fresh rosemary leaves and a sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano. But I can also see the flavor of this crust pairing deliciously with red sauce and pepperoni, or barbecue sauce and chicken, or strawberries and leeks with a balsamic drizzle (which is actually a suggestion/recipe in the book!). Anything goes, really. All you need to worry about is getting enough slices into your pie hole. Good thing the crust is uber simple to make, in case seconds are in order.

So when I say “Impromptu pizza party at my house!” you say “Be right over!” and we’ll all make einkorn pizza crust together, OK?

Also, homemade potato chips on pizza = I need to do this in my life forever and ever.

Thin and Crispy Einkorn Pizza Crust

• Author: From The Einkorn Cookbook: Discover the World's Purest and Most Ancient Form of Wheat by Shanna and Tim Mallon
• Prep Time: 1 hour 20 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 2 hours 5 mins
• Yield: 1 large or 2 small pizzas 1x

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Ingredients

For the pizza crust:

• 2 to 2 1/2 cups (250 to 313 g) all-purpose einkorn flour, plus more for sprinkling
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup plain kefir or yogurt
• 1/4 cup warm water (about 105 to 110 degrees F)

For the toppings (optional):

• 1 lb red potatoes, scrubbed clean and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 bulb garlic
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Sliced fresh mozzarella, sliced red onion, fresh rosemary leaves and grated Parmigiano Reggiano

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Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups (or 250 g) einkorn flour, olive oil, sea salt, yeast and kefir with a wooden spoon or dough whisk.
2. Stir in warm water, then use dough whisk or your hands to knead dough together into a ball, adding more flour (up to 1/2 cup) or warm water (up to 1/4 cup) as needed.
3. Drizzle oil in bowl, then place dough in bowl, turning once to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour (dough will not double, but it will get slightly puffy).
4. Meanwhile, heat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, toss sliced potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.
5. Peel away as much of the outer skins from the garlic bulb as you can, keeping the bulb intact. Slice off the top 1/4-inch to expose the cloves. Place bulb on a small piece of foil; drizzle very lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover completely with foil; place bulb, cut-side up, on baking sheet with potatoes.
6. Cook potatoes and garlic 30 to 40 minutes until potatoes are just crisp and garlic is roasted.
7. When dough is ready, heat oven to 475 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; lightly sprinkle with flour. Press and stretch dough on prepared baking sheet until really thin (you can divide the dough into 2 pizzas, too, if you want). Brush top of dough with olive oil, then top with roasted garlic, sliced mozzarella, roasted potatoes, sliced onion, fresh rosemary leaves and a generous sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano (or whatever toppings you desire).
8. Bake pizzas 12 to 15 minutes until crust is golden brown on the edges and cheese is melted and bubbly. Cool 5 minutes before slicing.

Disclosure: I received a copy of “The Einkorn Cookbook” for review purposes only. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.