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Recipes for Health

Healthier Pizzas

Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

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By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

Published: May 25, 2009

Pizza is many things to many people, but one thing it usually is not:
healthy. I blame chain-store pizza and their thick, doughy crusts, usually
loaded with cheese even before the extras like pepperoni and sausage are
added.

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Recipes for Health

This series offers recipes with an eye towards empowering you
to cook healthy meals every day. Produce, seasonal and locally grown when
possible, and a well-stocked pantry are the linchpins of a good diet, and
accordingly, each week’s recipes will revolve around a particular type of
produce or a pantry item. This is food that is vibrant and light, full of
nutrients but by no means ascetic, fun to cook and a pleasure to eat.
See
previous recipes »

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Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

But in any pizzeria in Rome or Naples, you’ll find a dizzying array of
offerings that really are healthy. The crusts are thin, often topped with
seasonal vegetables, and the slices are reasonably sized. There may be cheese on
top, but not more than a few ounces.

It’s not tomato season yet, but that doesn’t stop me from making a range of
pizzas. They’re white pizzas — instead of tomato sauce, they’re topped with
caramelized onions and fennel, or roasted peppers, or mushrooms, goat cheese,
walnuts and arugula. My crust, made with half whole wheat flour, is wholesome
but light, full of flavor.

This week’s pizza recipes also make for a handy way to sabotage the picky
habits of vegetable-averse kids. Just tell them they’re having pizza for dinner.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

Whole wheat pizza crust has a nutty flavor and real nutritional value. Since
the crust is what pizza is primarily about, this is a good thing. But a crust
made with too much whole wheat flour can be heavy, dry and tough. I’ve found
that this formula, which combines whole wheat and all-purpose flour, makes a
crust that is both delightful to eat and full of whole grain nutrients,
especially fiber.

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing the pizza
crusts

1 1/4 cups stone ground whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional if necessary for
kneading

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1. Combine the yeast and water in a 2-cup Pyrex
measuring cup. Add the sugar, and stir together. Let sit two or three minutes,
until the water is cloudy. Stir in the olive oil.

2. Combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour
and salt in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse
once or twice. Then, with the machine running, pour in the yeast mixture.
Process until the dough forms a ball on the blades. Remove from the processor
(the dough will be a little tacky; flour or moisten your hands so it won’t
stick), and knead on a lightly floured surface for a couple of minutes, adding
flour as necessary for a smooth dough.

3. Shape the dough into a ball, pinched at bottom and
rounded at top. Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly oiled bowl, rounded side
down first, then rounded side up. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and
leave it in a warm spot to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. When it is ready, the
dough will stretch when it is gently pulled.

4. Divide the dough into two equal balls. Put the
balls on a lightly oiled tray or platter, cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap
or a damp towel, and leave them to rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Afterward, the
dough balls can be placed in a wide bowl, covered with plastic wrap and
refrigerated for up to three days. Alternatively, you can wrap them loosely in
lightly oiled plastic wrap and refrigerate them in a resealable plastic bag.
When you are ready to roll out the pizzas, you will need to bring the balls to
room temperature and punch them down again.

5. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place a pizza
stone on the middle rack of the oven. Roll or press out the dough to a 12- to
14-inch circle. Lightly oil pizza pans, and dust with semolina or cornmeal.
Place the dough on the pizza pan. With your fingers, form a slightly thicker
raised rim around edge of the circle. Brush everything but the rim with a little
olive oil, then top the pizza with the toppings of your choice.

6. Place the pizza pan on the stone. Bake as
directed.

Yield: Two 12- to 14-inch crusts.

Advance preparation: The pizza dough can be
refrigerated after the first rise for up to three days (see step 4). The rolled
out dough can be frozen. Transfer directly from the freezer to the oven.

Pizza With Green Garlic, Potatoes and Herbs

A pizza topped with potatoes may sound strange, but this is much loved in
Italy. Make it now, while you can still get luscious, juicy green garlic.

1 bulb green garlic, sliced; or if the bulb has formed cloves, 4 cloves,
sliced thin

1/2 pound new potatoes or other waxy potatoes, scrubbed

Salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 recipe whole wheat pizza dough

Freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary,
or 2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil, and
drop in the garlic. Blanch for 30 seconds, and transfer to a bowl of cold water
using a slotted spoon. Drain and dry on paper towels.

2. Add the potatoes to the pot, and bring to a gentle
boil. Cover partially, and simmer the potatoes until just tender when pierced
with a knife — 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Drain
and rinse with cold water. When cool enough to handle, slice about 1/4 inch
thick.

3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees with a baking
stone inside. Roll or press out the pizza dough, and line a 12- to 14-inch pan.
Brush all but the rim of the crust with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and sprinkle
on the Parmesan. Top with the sliced potatoes and sliced garlic. Season
generously with salt and pepper, and sprinkle withthe rosemary or oregano.
Drizzle on the remaining olive oil. Bake until the crust is browned and crisp,
about 15 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Yield: One 12- or 14-inch pizza.

Advance preparation: The cooked potatoes and blanched
garlic will keep for a day or two in the refrigerator. The dough can be made up
to three days ahead and kept in the refrigerator.

Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.

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