Healthy pizza recipeI know that with the proliferation of pizza joints these days some people might consider it madness to even think of making your own at home. I may well be mad, but I love to make pizza from scratch. This allows me to keep it healthy and to choose the toppings I love the most.
And when you make your own you can control the quantity of fat from meat and cheese which is very important in creating a healthy pizza. Generally I choose a variety of lower-fat cheeses, like Romano, Asiago and feta to augment a smaller-than-usual quantity of mozzarella, which tends to be fattier. Likewise I use less meat, to reduce saturated fats, and add a variety of vegetables to create lots of flavor. One reason ham and pepperoni are so great on pizza is the salt content, which makes a nice compliment to the tomato base. To compensate for that, when I choose not to use those meats, I add chopped green olives, or if you like anchovies use those instead. While I rarely make bread or biscuits, I always make my own pizza crusts because it’s just so easy. And, because not a whole lot of leavening is needed, you can try different flours for even more variety. I generally use spelt, rye and kamut but you can substitute regular wheat flour for one of these for a fluffier, more traditional crust. The crust: 1 tbsp active dry yeast (or one package) ¼ cup lukewarm water 1 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp salt 1 cup boiling water 1 cup spelt flour 1 cup rye flour 1 cup kamut flour Soften yeast in lukewarm water and let stand 10 minutes. Combine sugar, olive oil, salt and boiling water in a large bowl and stir until dissolved. Let cool then add yeast. Beat in half the flour, then add the remaining flour gradually to make a soft dough which pulls away from the bowl. Round the dough and knead for about 3 minutes. I let the dough rise at this point for at least 15 minutes. Then divide in two and freeze one portion for future use. Knead the remaining dough a little, flatten and spread it out on a greased pizza pan. I often use the olive oil from a jar of sun-dried tomatoes to grease the pan. The sauce: You can buy pizza sauce; I never have. Instead I use ½ of a tin of tomato paste and blend it with mashed, roasted garlic - for more about garlic, click here and scroll down for instructions on roasting garlic. If you like anchovies you can either use a paste and mix that in instead of garlic or apply them on top of this layer. Spread this mixture on the dough and and sprinkle on some dried herbs. I like to use thyme, basil, oregano, parsley and a little bit of cayenne. You can choose any combination that suits you. The toppings: Cheese: - 1 cup of mozzarella grated, with half reserved for the top - crumble a chunk of feta, about 2 oz - grate ¼ cup of romano, parmesan or asiago Meat: Processed meats are not the healthiest choice but if you must use them, do so sparingly. 100 grams of pepperoni or ham is plenty. I prefer to cook some ground beef or chicken instead – use about 1/3 lb per pizza. Turkey sausage is also healthy and delicious. Low-fat and a good source of protein, it can be crumbled and cooked or cooked whole and sliced. Vegetables: Raw vegetables are full of water so I quickly sauté the ones I want to use prior to layering on the pizza. Otherwise the water will be released on your pizza making it soggy. Saute them in the order you want to add them to the pizza. So, start with the onion, then garlic and so on. Veggies that work well are: -broccoli -mushrooms -spinach -fresh tomato, thinly sliced and seeded -green pepper -zucchini Other toppings to consider: -chopped olives -sundried tomatoes -artichoke hearts, drained and chopped -pine nuts -roasted red peppers -hot banana peppers -anchovies No need to prepare all of these ingredients or in huge quantities. Best bet is to focus on a unique combination of 5 or 6 ingredients. Bake at 450F on a lower rack for 15 to 20 minutes.
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What a wonderful invention pizza is, allowing for a nearly infinite assortment of flavors to come together in what is essentially a finger food. You really can let your imagination go wild with combinations of toppings varying from savory to sweet. 
