Hank's Homemade Cornmeal Pizza Crust

First I whisk together 1 1⁄4 teaspoons active dry yeast, 1 cup warm water and 1 teaspoon honey in a large bowl and let it sit until the yeast is active, which takes about 10 minutes. While the yeast is waking up, combine 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup whole-wheat flour, 3⁄4 cup coarse cornmeal and 1 teaspoon salt in another bowl – be sure the components are well-mixed. Next, I add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the liquid (whisk briefly) and combine it with the dry ingredients, mixing with a wooden spoon. Turn out the well-formed ball onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough is soft and pliable – 3 to 5 minutes or so. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, turning once to coat, and let it sit, covered, for 1 1⁄2 to 2 hours, or until the dough has doubled or tripled its volume. Finally, cut the dough in half (makes two large crusts; store in ziplock bags up to 2 days in fridge or weeks in freezer), roll out on a floured surface and transfer to a preheated pizza stone or cast-iron pizza pan. Add toppings and bake at 450 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.

There, now you can see that creating your own pizza crust is not as mysterious as pizza parlor brand managers would have you believe. In the pages that follow, we’ll show you how to create delicious breads of all kinds, at home, the easy way. You’ll also find expert tips on handling your dough, creating tasty toppings and dips, and selecting tools of the trade. If you still have unanswered questions, be sure to check out the GRIT website, or send me an e-mail at editor@grit.com.

Keep on bakin’.