Spelt Pizza Dough
Spelt is a whole grain wheat, made from an ancient forerunner of today’s wheat and also quite high in protein. But all nutrition aside, it makes a chewy but still crisp crust, a good base for heavy cheese sauces. A little potato flour gives the dough some elasticity; a bit of honey imparts a bit of sweetness.
- 3⁄4 cup lukewarm water (between 105°F and 115°F)
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 13⁄4 cups plus 2 tablespoons spelt flour, plus additional as needed
- 2 tablespoons potato flour (see Note)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, plus additional for greasing the bowl
Instructions:
- Pour the water in a slightly warmed, large bowl or the warmed bowl of a stand mixer. Stir in the honey, yeast, and salt. Set aside until a little foamy and frothy, about 5 minutes. If the yeast does not “proof,” toss the mixture out and start again—either the water was at the wrong temperature or the yeast expired.
- If working by hand: Stir the spelt fl our, potato fl our, and olive oil into the yeast mixture until fairly smooth. Lightly flour a clean, dry work surface, then turn the dough out onto it. Knead by holding with one hand and twisting the dough with the other while pushing the heel of that hand into the mass. If the dough sticks to your hands or the work surface, add another tablespoon or so of spelt flour as you knead. Reposition the dough, gather it together, and repeat this kneading process until well blended, 2 to 3 minutes.
- If working with a stand mixer: Add the spelt fl our, potato fl our, and oil to the yeast mixture, attach the dough hook, and knead at medium speed until well combined and uniform, about 3 minutes.
- Wipe a clean, large bowl with a bit of olive oil on a paper towel, or spray it with nonstick spray. Place the dough in the prepared bowl, turning the dough so all sides are coated with oil, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm, draft- free place until doubled in bulk, about 11 ⁄2 hours. Shape the dough for a tray using the tips on page 20 or as directed in the individual pizza recipes.
- Because spelt fl our lacks many of the glutens found in all- purpose or bread flour, this dough can be very diffi cult to shape by tossing and stretching. Instead, place it on a lightly fl oured peel or work surface, dust the top with spelt fl our, and roll with a rolling pin to the desired shape.
- NOTE: Don’t confuse potato fl our with potato starch. Potato flour is made from ground, dried potatoes and is available in the baking aisle of high- end markets and almost all health food stores.