Fontina, Olive, and Tomato Pizza with Basil Whole Wheat Crust

This is a sauceless pizza. The whole wheat and basil base is an earthy foil for the creamy cheese, tangy olives, and tomatoes.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 wedges)

Ingredients

• Dough:
• 1  tablespoon  honey
• 1  package active dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1  cup  warm water (100° to 110°)
• 1 1/2  cups  all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces), divided
• 1  cup  whole wheat flour (about 4 3/4 ounces)
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/8  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4  cup  chopped fresh basil
• Cooking spray
• 2  tablespoons  stone-ground yellow cornmeal
• 
  Remaining ingredients:
• 2  plum tomatoes, thinly sliced (about 1/2 pound)
• 1  cup  (4 ounces) shredded fontina cheese
• 3  tablespoons  chopped pitted kalamata olives
• 1/2  cup  (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1  tablespoon  pine nuts, coarsely chopped
• Cracked black pepper (optional)

Preparation

To prepare dough, dissolve honey and yeast in 1 cup warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt, and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper to yeast mixture; stir until a soft dough forms.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until soft and elastic (about 6 minutes); add enough of remaining all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to keep dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel slightly sticky). Knead in fresh basil just until incorporated. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 40 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)

Roll dough into a 12-inch circle (about 1/4 inch thick) on a lightly floured surface. Place dough on a rimless baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Crimp edges of dough with fingers to form a rim. Lightly spray surface of dough with cooking spray; cover with plastic wrap. Place dough in refrigerator.

Position one oven rack in the middle setting. Position another rack in the lowest setting, and place a rimless baking sheet on the bottom rack. Preheat oven to 500°.

Remove plastic wrap from dough; discard. Remove preheated baking sheet from oven; close oven door. Slide dough onto preheated baking sheet, using a spatula as a guide. Bake on lowest oven rack at 500° for 8 minutes.

Arrange tomato slices on paper towels. Cover with additional paper towels; let stand 5 minutes.

Sprinkle fontina over crust, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Arrange tomato slices and olives over fontina; sprinkle with mozzarella. Top with pine nuts. Bake on middle rack an additional 8 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese melts. Garnish with cracked pepper, if desired. Cut into 12 wedges.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

341 (29% from fat)

Fat:

10.9g (sat 5g,mono 3.7g,poly 1.4g)

Protein:

14.6g

Carbohydrate:

47.3g

Fiber:

4.5g

Cholesterol:

27mg

Iron:

2.9mg

Sodium:

502mg

Calcium:

186mg