Spinach Pesto Pizza and The Best Pizza Crust Ever

Let me brag for a minute. Will and I are the best pizza makers ever. Okay, I'm done.

No, but really, we make a mean pizza pie. And by mean I obviously mean absolutely delicious. It's our go to when we cook food for friends or family. I've got the crust down and Will makes the best sauces, both tomato and pesto. Unfortunately, basil isn't quite in season yet and buying enough to make fresh pesto now is a little difficult. But we were in the mood for it, so we cheated and used store-bought pesto for this recipe. I'll definitely share his pesto recipe with you in the late summer time!

But don't you fret, I'll still share my legendary dough with you now. I've tried many many many different recipes and this is by far my favorite. That might be because this is also the easiest, but I swear it turns out perfect every time. I even healthified it a bit (I had this pizza yesterday on my cheat day, but didn't want to cheat too much, ya know?) and it is still equally delicious.

The Best Pizza Dough Ever, makes one thin large pizza (double for two thin pizzas or a thick fluffy crust):

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/8 teaspoons yeast or 1/2 a 0.25oz package of yeast
1/2 of a tablespoon Truvia
1 tsp salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 of a cup warm water

Mix the first four ingredients together in a kitchen mixer or in a bowl with a wooden spoon. Once combined slowly pour in the warm water and mix with the dry ingredients thoroughly. Also add the olive oil at this time. If making in a stand mixer, allow your mixer to knead it for you for a few minutes while you add in a bit more water, if needed.

No need to let your dough rise (I've tried both letting this dough rise and using it right away. It did not seems to make a huge difference to me). Remove the dough from your bowl and place on a clean, floured service. Knead the dough and work it around in your hands a bit, for 2 minutes or more. Gently roll the dough out as large and thin as desired. Place on to a pizza baking sheet or a baking stone and roll the edges up to form a crust. You can now add toppings to the crust.

Spinach Pesto Pizza:

1/4 a red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 a red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 tomato, thinly sliced
1 cup spinach
1/4 of a cup fresh basil
1 cup fresh shredded mozzarella cheese
pesto sauce

Onto your prepared crust spread pesto. I know pesto is tempting and delicious, but it is also oily; so avoided soggy pizza by only spreading a thin layer. Add your thinly sliced red onion and red bell pepper. Top with half the cheese. Add the slices of tomato. Finish with spinach, breaking the leaves smaller if necessary, and fresh basil. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.

Let the pizza cool for a few minutes and then slice it up! Enjoy a piece or three with some balsamic vinegar for dipping or topped with a balsamic glaze. Wine in a mason jar also helps.