Vegan Cheeseless Pizza!

Living without cheese can be tough. But living without pizza... NEVER!!!!! Life without pizza isn't worth living. Life without cheese... Well, cheese has casein in it which is a hardship for one's digestive system, and unless you're buying your cheese from an organic farmer who practices sustainable agriculture and treats his or her cows like gold, it isn't worth the environmental impacts or the animal suffering. I've tried vegan cheeses, but they just don't do it- some of them have flavors reserved for war criminals and sex offenders. So... Pizza....

To make the dough, you will need:
3 c whole wheat flour (I use Prairie Gold, it's my fave)
1/4 c ground flaxseed
1/4 c vital wheat gluten
1 tsp salt
1 packet or 21/2 tsp bread yeast
1/2 c warm water
1 tsp sucanat, agave nectar, honey or sugar
1 tbs olive oil
fresh, frozen or dried herbs to your liking
1 large bowl
1 small pyrex bowl
1 rolling pin

Okay... Tie back your hair, put on that apron that Aunt Mildred got you when you graduated college (OMG- where is that?!?!?!), and remove your jewelry. Put some water on your stove to boil and turn your oven on to its lowest setting. Mix your flour, flax, gluten and salt into your large bowl.

 Next, mix your yeast, water and sugar together. Water should be warm, but not hot. Like bath temperature. Stir them together and let sit for about 5 minutes. The water should get frothy and smell like beer.

Next, pour your yeasty water (mmmm, sounds sexy!) and your oil into your flour mixture and mix well. You will have to mix more water to get the dough to the right consistency.  I use an upright mixer for this (Christmas 2009, thanks, hubby). If you don't have an upright mixer, USE YOUR FINGERS (or your kids' fingers). Add about another cup or cup and a half to the dough and either mix in your mixer with the pastry hook, or grab onto it and knead. If you took ceramics in high school, try to channel that feeling. If you didn't, mix the dough into a ball and grab it by the sides. Turn it around and push down on it. Repeat this process for about 5 minutes and think about how cooking burns calories. If you want to add herbs to your dough (and I strongly recommend that you do), now is the time. I always add some rosemary, oregano, garlic and basil. Sun-dried tomatoes are great, too. Your dough should feel slightly elastic. If it's too sticky, add a little flour until it doesn't leave sticky bits of itself all over your fingers. If it's too clumpy, add a little more water. When it's right, it will look like this:

Remember, way at the beginning when I told you to put water on the stove to boil? Pour some of that hot water into a pyrex bowl and place the bowl in your oven. This helps the dough rise. It's a great old secret that I learned from my mom. Don't tell anybody, and you'll be the awesomest bread maker around. Feel free to leave it in the oven during the baking process for a crustier crust. Your oven should be warm, and you should turn it off right about now. If it's a warm, sunny day, you can let your dough rise outside. Keep your dog away from it (yeah, it has happened to me). Cover your bowl with a damp cloth and leave in the oven for about an hour. 

Wow! What a process, right? It's going to be worth it when you sit down and eat this pizza. My husband and I are such total pigs that we've polished off one of these bad boys in one sitting. Shameful? Perhaps. Okay, so now your dough is risen like Easter. Take it out of the oven and knead it again for about 5 minutes. If it's all sticky and spongey, add about 1/4 c of flour or vital wheat gluten. It should be not sticky and slightly elastic. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Oil your pizza pan, and place the dough ball on top. Roll it out with the rolling pin. Roll from the center and in all 4 directions, so your crust is nice and even. You may want to periodically turn it over, so that it rolls really well. Once your dough is circular and the same size as your bakeware, make little indentations all around the circle for the crust. It should look something like this:

Notes about this crust: You can make 2 pizzas with this amount of bread. I like a thick crust, but if you don't, simply cut your dough ball in half and make two. You can also freeze a dough ball for a quick and easy pizza night later. I've certainly had times where I've doubled this recipe specifically for that purpose. Also, if pizza is not your bag, this recipe makes a mean crusty Italian loaf. Simply roll it into a cylinder and place on a well oiled baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 or so minutes.

Now for the toppings! The pizza in the picture contains:

 1/8 c Pesto (from the jar or homemade- we will make pesto on this blog, but not until fall when the basil is ready)

2 leaves Swiss Chard (you can use collards or spinach)

1/2 jar of pasta sauce (again, recipe to follow, but in the fall when the tomatoes are ready)

3 cloves of garlic minced or pressed in garlic press

All the oregano and basil you can handle

1 tsp rosemary

1 head of broccoli

4 or 5 mushrooms

1/2 onion

Black olives

Note: I saute my onions and mushrooms before I put them on the pizza.

First, wet your hands and run them over your dough. This helps the dough form a crustier crust. Next, spread out your pesto with a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon. Don't apply too much pressure, or you'll rip your dough. If you're concerned about fat content, skip the pesto.

Then, de-stem your greens (I use chard because the organic variety is inexpensive). Place them on top. The reason I put the greens on at this stage is because they help the bread from getting all soggy. It's also a great way to get more greens into your mouth.

Now, add your sauce. I usually pour the sauce into the middle of the pie, add my herbs and my garlic, and then spead it out to the edges in a circular motion with the back of my spoon. This way, my herbs get spread out evenly. 

Now, add your toppings. I'm a total nerd- I like to put my toppings on in the shape of a heart or a smiley face. Don't feel like you have to be hokey- it's just how I roll.

Now, bake in the oven for about 20 minutes- until your crust is crusty and your veggies are cooked. 

Now, pat yourself on the back for doing something amazing, and then PIG OUT!!!!

Note: Let your pizza cool for about 10 minutes before you cut it. It will be difficult. Also, the first piece might be stubborn. Take your largest and flattest spatula, and run it along the outside of the crust. This will help it lift easily. Make sure you cut it really well, or your toppings will fall off.