Ingredients:
Dough (per 12” pizza):
1 c. sprouted whole-wheat flour
1 c. high-gluten flour (13% to 14% protein)
7 oz. water (70°F)
1½ tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. brown sugar
¾ tsp. salt
½ tsp. instant dry yeast
Toppings:
4 oz. pizza sauce
6 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
3 oz. oven-roasted heirloom cherry tomato halves
2 oz. oven-roasted baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
1½ oz. caramelized onions
1 oz. basil pesto
¾ oz. roasted garlic
After-bake garnishes: arugula, shaved Parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar reduction, extra-virgin olive oil and fresh cracked black pepper
Directions:
To make the dough, blend flour, salt, yeast and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Add oil and water. Mix with dough hook on low speed for 8 to 10 minutes or until dough is ¾ developed. Round out a dough ball, coat in olive oil and place into a greased bowl. Cover and let rest for 12 to 36 hours. Allow the dough ball to proof at ambient condition for 30 to 90 minutes.
Preheat hearth oven to 500°F. Hand-stretch dough to 12” diameter, place on a corn-dusted pizza peel and brush with olive oil. Add sauce and toppings and bake until crust and cheese are golden in color. Remove from oven and top with after-bake garnishes. Slice and serve.
The Next Big Thing?
Sprouted grains are grains that have been soaked in water until they begin to grow a sprout, then dried and milled into flour for baking. According to the Whole Grains Council, the process, which takes place under carefully controlled conditions, makes sprouted grains easier to digest than traditional grains and boosts the grains’ nutritional value. Chef and master baker Peter Reinhart, a partner at Pure Pizza (purepizzaclt.com) in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been preaching the gospel of sprouted grains for years. At Pure Pizza, Reinhart created a sprouted ancient grain crust in both traditional and gluten-free versions. During a Whole Grains Council conference in Boston last year, Reinhart predicted sprouted flours will become a hot new trend in the coming years. “There are too many positives for this not to be the next big thing,” he said.
