Bread Machine Pizza Crust

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup cornmeal (plus another tablespoon for dusting pizza paddle or cookie sheet)
• 3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 3 cups unbleached flour (made from hard wheat)
• 1 1/4 cups water (plus an additional 1 or 2 tablespoons if the mixture looks dry and crumbly after the first 10 minute)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon yeast

Recipe

• 1 place all ingredients in the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer.
• 2 program the machine for the dough setting and press start.
• 3 after the cycle completes, remove the dough from the machine and let it rest for 10 minutes at room temperature.
• 4 if you have a pizza stone or tiles, place them on the middle rack of the oven.
• 5 preheat the oven to 450 degrees farenheit.
• 6 sprinkle either a wooden pizza paddle or a heavy-duty cookie sheet with additional cornmeal.
• 7 use your hands or a floured rolling pin to form a flat 10- to 12-inch disk.
• 8 place the rolled-out dough onto either the pizza paddle (if using) or the cookie sheet.
• 9 optional: place shredded cheese, such as mozzarella, around the perimeter and roll the dough over the cheese for a thick cheese-filled border.
• 10 add the toppings of your choice (i frequently just top with canned pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, sausage and/or pepperoni, sliced mushrooms and olives).
• 11 slide the pizza onto the hot stone or tiles (if using) or slide the cookie sheet into the oven.
• 12 bake for 18 minutes (or adjust the time based on how you divided the dough and on the thickness of the crust).
• 13 serve hot.