Homemade Pesto Pizza

This is our first Home Bakers Challenge. Home Bakers is an enthusiastic group of baking enthusiastic bloggers and is started by Priya Suresh @ Priya's Versatile Recipes. For the first month's challenge Divya @ Divya's Culinary Journey picked Homemade Pizza.

We were given couple of different pizza crust and toppings recipes and I made Martha Stewart's pizza crust recipe with few minor changes and a store bought pesto topping. I liked that this recipe can be conveniently made in the food processor. I added wholewheat flour along with all-purpose flour to add some fiber and nutrition.

Ingredients:
Pizza Crust:

All purpose flour - 1½cups
Wholewheat flour - 1¼ - 1½cups
Salt - 1tsp

Warm water - 1cup
Sugar - ¼tsp
Active dry yeast - 2¼tsp (1 package)
Olive Oil - 3½tsp
Cornmeal or sooji - for dusting

Toppings:
Pesto - 3-4 tbsp (I used store bought pesto)
Mozzarella Cheese - as needed
Tomatoes - 2, thinly sliced
Pizza seasoning - 1tsp (or use dried oregano or basil)
Salt and pepper - to taste
Method:

• In a measuring cup, take warm water and add sugar and yeast. Whisk well and set aside for 5minutes or until frothy.
• Meanwhile in the food processor with the blade attachment, combine all purpose flour and 1¼cups of wholewheat flour and salt, pulse 3-4 times. Next add the yeast mixture and olive oil. Pulse until the mixture comes together to form a dough. Add more flour if the mixture is too sticky or add water if it is too dry. Remove from the processor onto lightly floured surface and knead for 3-4 minutes to get a soft pliable dough.
• Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in warm place to rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.
• Punch the dough down and fold it back on itself 4-5 times. Cover and let rise for another 30 minutes.
• In the mean time, preheat the oven to 500°F. Place a pizza stone to preheat in the oven as well.
• Punch the dough and divide into two equal halves. Place one of the dough back in the oiled bowl.**
• Roll the dough out using a rolling pin or your hands into a 12" round (or similar) shaped pizza. Sprinkle cornmeal or sooji on a pizza peel or a baking sheet and place the rolled out pizza. 
• Now top the pizza with the toppings of choice. I spread some pesto leaving about half an inch border around the pizza, then sprinkle the grated cheese and top with the sliced tomatoes. Then add the pizza seasoning, salt and pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the base is baked through and the cheese is melted and gooey. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!!
  
  

** If you don't intend on making 2 pizzas the same day, then put the dough in an airtight ziplock container and put in the fridge--this can be stored for up to 3 days. When ready to use, simply let the dough come to room temperature and bake as per the recipe. Dough can also be frozen tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and then placed in a ziplock freezer safe bag for up to 1 month.