Pizza Dough with Wine

Mario Batali knows his Italian food, so I adapted this pizza dough recipe from his.  He mixes the yeast in a mixture of wine and water!  I love the idea of it, and the crust was good and sweet.  Honestly, I like just about anything with wine and honey. 

When you use the wine, make sure it's room temperature so it won't upset the temperature balance the yeast needs to work its magic.  I used Riesling, my favorite, but you can use any white or light red wine.  I also used whole-wheat flour for this since it was all I had, and it didn't take away any of the taste.  If anything, it made me feel better about eating more of it.  It wasn't a thin crust, so if you want a dough that's a bit heartier, this is the one for you. 

Also interesting about Mario Batali's recipe is that it ends as you're about to bake it.  He gives no time or temperature, so use what you know to work.  I don't have a pizza stone, so I baked it on a baking sheet at 425.  I prebaked the crust for 8 minutes, covered it with toppings, and then baked it an additional 10 minutes. 

You really should try this.  Once the wine is open to cook with, just pour a glass for yourself!


Pizza Dough with Wine

1/4 cup light red or white wine
3/4 cup warm water
1 packet active dry yeast
1/2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
3 cups flour

Place wine, water, and yeast in a large bowl, and stir until dissolved.  Add the honey, salt, and 1 Tbsp olive oil, and mix well to combine.  Add 1 cup flour and mix with a wooden spoon until it becomes a loose batter.  Add 2 more cups of the flour and stir for 2-3 minutes, incorporating as much of the flour as you can with the wooden spoon.

Bring the dough together by hand and turn out onto a floured surface.  Knead for 6-8 minutes, or until dough is smooth and firm.  Place in a clean, lightly-oiled bowl, using remaining tablespoon of oil, and cover with a towel.  Let rise in the warmest part of the kitchen for 45 minutes. 

For individual pizzas or calzones, cut the dough into four equal pizzas and knead into rounds.  For one large pizza, knead into one large round.  For either, let rest fifteen minutes.