Thin n Crispy Bacon Pesto Pizza with Mushrooms: The perfect quick crust

 Crust ingredients:
-1.5 C Flour (50/50 split between wheat and AP)
-1/16th C EVOO (I am sure there is equivalent TB that would make more sense but this is what I had on hand)
-Salt to taste
-1 TB locally sourced fantastic honey (I am clearly not biased)
-About 3/4 C lukewarm water
-1 tsp baking powder

Toppings:
-Pizza Sauce and Pesto
-Mozz cheese (large block, I get the 16 oz or so logs and use about 3/4)
-1 pack fresh sliced mushrooms (NOT those canned slimy ones, seriously)
- 1/4-1/2 lb bacon, fried to just crispy

Mix all of the crust ingredients together and add about a half cup of lukewarm water.  Continue to add water a little at a time, it should take about 3/4 C.  You want the ball to be moist, but not sticky.  If you go to far just knead a little flour in until you get it right.

Roll the dough out between two pieces of saran wrap to get it started.  Transfer the dough to a greased pizza pan (preferably with holes in it, I greased mine with more EVOO) and continue to gently stretch it.  If you have the dough just right, it should stretch really well without tearing thanks to the oil in it.  Also consider using infused oils.

After you have it stretched to the edges of your pizza pan, brush the top with a very thin coat of EVOO and sprinkle with garlic cheese topper and just a little bit of salt, and then bake it at 400 degrees for 9 to 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and switch it over to broil. 

Add your toppings to the pizza, swirling the pesto and the marinara.  Put the mushrooms, then cheese, then bacon.  Normally I would sprinkle a hint of garlic, salt, and pepper on my cheese to enhance the flavor, but for this pizza I would consider still doing the pepper if anything.  I chose to forgo that step for this one.

Broil until the cheese is desired brown-ness and then devour.

This was easily my most fantastic crust yet, and a darn good pizza to boot. I even got the seal of approval from my father after taking some to him.  That is three resounding yes-s.

I don't really like to wait for a crust to raise, and I keep forgetting to do my no knead crust.  I find with the no need that I prefer it at the 8 hour window, and any time past that it gets a little too yeasty tasting for me.  It is my crust of choice for stuffed crust, but for a fast pizza that does not cost a lot to make, you might just be hard pressed to beat this crust.

If you aren't using something like pesto that has a lot of herbs and such in it, feel free to put herbs in the crust.  It adds another level of flavor and works great with a lot of different toppings.

Happy crafting!


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