Pass the Pizza, No Cheese, Please

We've been wanting to make the leap to cheese-free pizza for awhile, but whenever we go out, it irritates us to be charged the full price if we ask for no cheese. So...I decided to make it myself. I started with a whole wheat crust recipe that's quick enough for a week night. I followed that with a pizza sauce that comes together in minutes. While this recipe does contain some grated Parmesan cheese, it could be left out without sacrificing any flavor. While the sauce sits to meld the flavors, I sauteed some sliced mushrooms so they would retain their meaty texture and sliced up some bell peppers and onions. About an hour after I walked in the door (with most of it spent doing other activities, I slid the pizza into the oven on the hot pizza stone. 15 minutes later--dinner was ready.

I was pleasantly surprised that I did not miss the cheese. This was good, and almost as fast as waiting at the pizza shop for them to bake us up a pie. If you are feeding more than two fairly light eaters, I'd suggest doubling the crust, as it only makes one 12-inch pie.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 package quick rise yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup hot water (120-130 degrees)
2 teaspoons olive oil

1. Combine flours, yeast, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Pulse to mix. Combine hot water and oil in a measuring cup. With the motor running, gradually pour in enough of the hot liquid until the mixture forms a sticky ball. The dough should be quite soft. If it seems dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water; if too sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour. Process until the dough forms a ball, then process for 1 minute to knead.

2. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it, sprayed side down, over the dough. Let the dough rest for 10 to 20 minutes before rolling.

Makes enough dough for one 12-inch pizza.

The dough will keep, in a plastic bag coated with cooking spray, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.