California Pizza Kitchen

Thursdays ala casa de Garcia is Pizza Night!

We enjoy our pizza and perhaps just a wee bit too much.  In fact, we enjoy it every Thursday night!  Pizza night began as a tradition when we lived in Maryland.  It is the best night to invite friends over for because making an extra pizza or two is very simple.  Pizza night became a great source of fellowship and we do miss that portion.  We need to do more of the inviting others over part of Thursdays....Our crust is a whole wheat crust that morphed from a Hodgson's Mills recipe. Usually there is one pepperoni pizza, sometimes a cheese pizza and a new arrival of olive oil, garlic, Parmesan and herb.

The Dough Recipe (revised by me)
Mix together; let proof
1 T yeast
1 C warm water
Add to yeast mixture.  Using dough hook on mixer knead till ball forms and is not tacky.  Add flour by T as needed per humidity.
1.5 C whole wheat flour
1.5 C all purpose flour 
2 T olive oil
1 T honey (or agave)
1 T flax seed meal
1 t  salt
1-2 t seasonings (optional)
Add olive oil to bowl, turning dough ball to coat dough & bowl.  Let rise 15 min.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees F at this time.  Prepare toppings while oven heats.  Dust baking sheet/pizza stone with coarse corn meal.  Gently stretch pizza over fists and lay atop pan/stone and continue gently stretching/shaping to fit pan.  Par bake for 5 min.  Remove from oven, top with sauce, meats, veggies, cheese, etc. then return to oven till cheese bubbles (approx. 10-12 min.)

**2011 update:  I now use a different recipe, see below.

1.5 C warm water
1 T yeast
1 T olive oil
1 T sweetner (honey, agave, brown sugar...)
mix together, let proof

To the yeast mixture add the following.Using dough hook on mixer knead till ball forms and is not tacky.  Depending on humidity you may or may not need all flour. 
4 C flour (I use a half whole wheat, half blended flour mix)
1 T salt
I sometimes add flax seed & seasonings as stated above


After rising I then seperate this dough into four equal balls.  Each of those become a rolled out thin crust pizza!