Rustic Pizza Dough
Honey helps with browning and flavor in this lean dough. Light and sweet white whole wheat flour adds taste and fiber. In Canada, you may substitute Multigrain Blend from Robin Hood. This dough makes great breadsticks too. Use your bread machine on 'dough' cycle for an easy, sensational pizza.

Makes 3 9-inch thin-crust pizzas

Starter (30 minutes to 2 hours before):

1 cup warm water
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Dough:

1/2 cup warm water
2 tablespoons light honey
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (or bread + unbleached or all all-purpose)
1 cup bread flour
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

Quick sponge:

In a medium bowl stir warm water and dry yeast together. Let stand to allow yeast to dissolve a couple of minutes. Stir in flour to make a thick, pudding-like mixture. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let stand 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Bread machine note:

Prepare mixture in bread pan - a few revolutions of the kneading blade (on 'dough' cycle will mix the starter. Unplug and put down cover of machine.

Pizza dough:

Stir down starter to deflate. Add water, honey, salt, oil, baking powder, whole wheat flour and most of remaining flour (retain some to add as required). (For bread machine, use 'dough' cycle).

Stir until mixture must be worked by hand or with a dough hook. Knead to make a soft dough (5-7 minutes) adding additional flour if required to make a soft, elastic dough that is just slightly sticky. Place dough in a well-greased bowl and place bowl in a large plastic bag. Let rise until puffy (30-45 minutes). Gently deflate and proceed with pizza preparation.