The World is Flat

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by Hannah (BitterSweet)
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When it comes to pizza, flatter is simply better. Having been raised on nothing but thin and crispy New York-style crusts, it seems like sacrilege to even consider deviating from that delicious formula. Never has this household seen the likes of deep dish, an abomination of doughy flat bread and vast pools of sauce. Perish the thought! Quite the contrary, the pizzas my dad rolls out for special occasions are so ethereally thin, each slice can sometimes seem like no more than a delicate wafer cracker, brushed with just a whisper of the red stuff. Thus, it’s a scandalous, shameful thing I have done in the name of dough just recently… Forgoing the rolling pin and long waits for the dough to rise, I made a quick and dirty pan pizza.

Lacking the grace of a paper-thin pie, it however makes up for this shortcoming in ease of preparation. Practically instant, there’s no down time waiting for the dough to rise, and you can go from zero to dinner in just about 30 minutes. Pleasantly chewy and sturdy enough to support whatever toppings are piled on, I think there’s room in my heart for this thicker, heftier crust, too.

Inspired by Vegalicious, I found the idea of a super-speedy white sauce completely irresistible, and with a container of plain, unsweetened soy yogurt sitting patiently in the fridge, it was clearly meant to be. Laughably simple yet complex in flavor, it’s subtly cheesy, almost gooey, and all too perfect to keep to myself. Who needs tomatoes on pizza anyway? You’ll forget all about that red spread with this gem of a sauce.

Yield: Makes 2 (9-Inch Round) Pan Pizzas

White Pan Pizza with Mushrooms

White Pan Pizza with Mushrooms

Subtly cheesy, gooey, and rich with umami flavor, you'll never believe how quickly homemade pizza can come together.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Additional Time 20 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

Pizza Crust:

  • 1/4 Cup Oil, Divided
  • 1 Cup Warm Water
  • 2 Teaspoons Instant Yeast, or 1 1/4-Ounce Package Rapid Rise Yeast
  • 2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1 Teaspoon Granulated Sugar
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

White Sauce:

  • 3/4 Cup Unsweetened Plain Vegan Yogurt
  • 1 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
  • 1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
  • 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Mustard Powder
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
  • Tiny Pinch Ground Nutmeg

Toppings:

  • 1/2 Pound Button Mushrooms
  • 1/4 Pound Shiitake Mushrooms
  • Fresh Parsley or Basil

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees, and use 1 tablespoon in each of 2 9-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
  2. Place all of the ingredients for the crust into your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or food processor, and start on a low speed or pulse to combine. Once everything is more or less incorporated, allow the machine to run and “knead” the dough for about 5 minutes. Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes while you prepare the sauce and toppings.
  3. In a medium bowl, stir together the soy yogurt and spices so that you have a smooth, homogeneous mixture. Slice the mushrooms and chop your herbs, and then set both aside.
  4. Pull the dough out of the machine, and cut it into two equal pieces. Roll them briefly between the counter and your hands to round out the lumps, and then place one in each of the oiled cake pans. Use your finger tips to smooth the crusts into the bottom of the pans, so that they’re evenly covering the entire bottom. If the dough resists and pulls back, just leave it alone for 5 or 10 minutes and then try shaping it again. Brush 1 tablespoon of oil cross the top of each round of dough, and slide the pans into the oven.
  5. Bake for 10 minutes and pull them back out. Distribute the white sauce equally between the two pizzas, and smooth it evenly across the surface, leaving just a small edge bare so that you can pick up the slices later. Sprinkle your sliced mushrooms on top, and return the two pies to the oven. Bake for 8 more minutes, and then switch to the broiler. Broil for 5 – 8 minutes longer, until the crust is golden brown.
  6. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before sprinkling your fresh herbs on top, slicing, and digging in.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 258Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 226mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 9g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: American / Category: Main Dishes and Entrees

 

31 thoughts on “The World is Flat”

  6. I rarely eat pizza because of high carb count but sometimes I yearn for it .Thin pizza crust is the kind of pizza crust that I like.Your white pizza sauce sounds yummy;we don’t have soy youghurt here but I guess soft tofu would be ok in that too?

  7. I know I’ve technically grown up on NY pizza but really I grew up on my dad’s pizza and his dough was always a little thicker than most. And absolutely mind blowingly delicious. Not in a deep dish kind of way really but in a not-greasy-but-more-good-slice-of-italian-bread like. It’s amazing stuff. And I adore this white sauce! I would feel really quite virtuous eating it too.

  9. This looks great! I love pizza, but rarely make it from scratch for a weeknight dinner. White sauce and spinach are one of my favorite combinations, I’ll be placing this in the “too make” pile. Thanks, Alex

  11. My husband makes an almost freakish deep dish vegan pizza crust with a recipe very similar to your’s, only it’s not quick rise. We’ve never tried making white pizza, we’ll have to try that.

  12. I have neeeeever ever made pizza, and rarely eaten it except in the form of retrospectively-quite-dodgy Domino’s delivery, which was certainly not paper thin! I don’t know if I’m quite ready to make it now, but I can certainly see that white sauce working wonders on veggies or pasta :)

  13. Awesome. I’ve been digging some great vegan pizza lately, where I haven’t missed the cheese at all! Do you mind if I ask what kind of camera and what lens you typically use to shoot your food photos?

  18. when I looking at this I`m really hungry :) with such delicious combo it must be awesome! I`m so glad I found your blog and I`m going to stop by your blog more often :)

  20. I generally like thinner crusts too but I saw a deep dish pie baked in a baking dish and I want to try that. This white sauce sounds amazing! I love the health benefits of vegan yogurt; I should keep it on hand more often.

  21. I will order one of those for delivery please. :) :) Your pizza looks awesome, and especially the pizza CRUST! It looks perfect to me! I agree with you on thin crust pizza. After taking a trip to Italy a year and a half ago, I was a changed woman. Their pizza crusts were the thinnest I have seen and so good!

  22. I love the idea for this sauce! I have access to a lot of discounted plain soy yogurt at Amazing Savings in Asheville and I haven’t had a use for it. This looks delicious.

  25. Now that is a beautiful pie! I’m usually a New York-style pizza girl too, but I think there’s definitely room in my heart for this more substantial crust. Love the topping choices also!

  26. Being from Chicago, I was raised on deep-dish. I do love a good thin crust, but my heart belongs to the heartier fare! This looks and sounds so fantastic. I’ll definitely have to try this recipe!

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