It looks and tastes just like a plain cheese pizza–you know– the kind kids just love. But you and I don’t have to tell ’em there is nothing plain about this pizza! First of all, it sneaks soft wheat flour (it’s called whole wheat pastry flour at your regular supermarket) in its perfectly chewy on the inside yet crisp on the outside crust. I intentionally don’t make it 100% soft wheat, but still enough to add fiber (I have a little plain bread flour in there too), just so that the kids are not on to me! Of course it has a nice yet simple store-bought marinara sauce–the kind that doesn’t have added sugar. Of course it has cheese that melts and sizzles on top as it should. In fact I use full-fat cheese but a lot less of it than you otherwise would because some of it is replaced by……drum roll please……AVOCADO! You heard it-avocado! You just do NOT know it’s there! Really–look at the photo–not a speck of green, just plain-old-looking pizza! You don’t see it because it is mashed up and mixed in with the marinara sauce and you just don’t taste it either because it’s so mild. But what you get out of it, besides its impeccable nutrition and health benefits, is its richness-WOW!!!
Now, I know what you are thinking: Are you kidding me?? Make my own pizza dough? Trust me, I hear from people who tell me just that, all the time. All the time, that is…until they make this one and realize it is THAT easy! Try this one EXACTLY as I describe it — step by step — it is foolproof AND it takes 10 minutes to put together if you have one of those stand-up electric mixer. I make it so often, I just make it without thinking, and so will you! The key is the starter “sponge” which activates the yeast before it is mixed in with the rest of the ingredients. After that, it’s just a cinch to make! Really, Really! Let that sink in and get started!
Don’t be intimidated by the length of the instructions below, it’s just that I want to be very thorough in my typical scientist way so you will master this– it really is simple to make, I promise!
Sneaky Cheese Pizza
Ingredients
- FOR THE DOUGH: This makes TWO 12" pizza crusts
- Sponge:
- 1/2 cup warm water not hot!
- 2 tsp dry yeast
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- Remaining ingredients:
- 1 cup water
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 cup bread flour
- 3/4 tsp salt
- TOPPING: This is for ONE pizza double the topping ingredients if you are making 2!
- 1 cup marinara sauce with no added sugar
- 1/2 avocado peeled, cored and completely mashed up with a fork
- 1 cup gruyere cheese or full-fat cheese of your choice
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400
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MAKING THE DOUGH: Place 1/2 cup of lukewarm water (not hot) in a small cup and add the sugar and active yeast, stir and let sit for 5-8 minutes until the yeast becomes foamy. It will double in size.
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While the yeast is rising, pour the remaining cup of lukewarm water in the bowl of a stand electric mixer fitted with a dough hook and add olive oil, both flours and salt.
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Add the foamy yeast mixture to the remaining ingredients and turn on the mixer on low speed until the dough forms a ball.
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Turn up the speed to medium for an additional minute. The dough will appear sticky at first, but be patient, within 2 minutes it will form a perfect ball!
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Take out the dough and sprinkle with a little dusting of flour (less than 1 Tbsp) so your hands won’t stick to it.
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Gently shape the dough into a large ball and place it in a bowl loosely covered with a clean hand-towel.
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Let rise for 15-20 minutes.
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ASSEMBLING THE PIZZA: When ready, uncover the dough, cut in half and roll each ball into a 12 inch circle. Place each on a baking sheet sprinkled lightly with flour (or you can freeze extra ball of dough for another time).
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Mix the mashed up avocado with 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce thoroughly (so that there is no evidence of any green!)
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Spread the remaining 1/2 cup of the plain marinara sauce uniformly on top of the pizza, up to the edge, and then spread the avocado/marinara mixture on top of it, but not all the way to the edge.
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Sprinkle all over with cheese.
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Place in preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until sizzling.
Don’t forget the rule about measuring flour!
always use dry measuring cups to measure flour and do NOT pack–see my tip!
Hi Catherine,
I found your blog yesterday through one of Dr. Ann Kulze’s books and I love your recipes. I never seem to get avocados at the right time. Can you include a picture of what “just right” looks like, or at least a description? I love avocados when I’m lucky enough to time it right, but the skin doesn’t always “tell” me when it is ready. They are too expensive for trial and error. Thanks!
Chanel
Welcome to my Cuisinicity kitchen! So nice to have you at the table!
I know exactly what you mean about avocados!! They should feel slightly soft but only barely so ( not mushy!!) if you take out the little stem at the top, it should be yellow underneath. If it’s green it’s under ripe and if it’s black it’s over ripe. I hope this helps!! Let me know! ?
Thank you for the wonderful idea to hide avocado in my pizza sauce! My kids love this pizza. As a toddler I could always get my son to eat yogurt and avocado but now at 6 he is very picky. This does the trick! Would love any other clever ways to get kids (I have a 3 yo and 6 yo) to try new healthy foods. Thanks! Love the foods on here.
LeeAnn
I love your comment LeeAnn, as this is what it’s all about!!! That makes me so happy! in case you haven’t seen, I have quite a few kid favorite recipes in my blog archive entitled “Stealth Mom”, so enjoy!
Hello Catherine. I am loving your blog. All your recipes are fantastic and in keeping with my cooking principles. I also like to pack as much nutrition as I can into the food I give to my children. If you like you can check out my version of a ‘nutrient-packed pizza’ that I regularly cook for my family https://goodfoodbymelissa.wordpress.com/2013/11/11/nutrient-packed-wholemeal-veggie-pizza/
Keep up the great work.
Best Wishes
Melissa
Oh my Goodness Melissa, I just discovered your blog and it is AMAZING!!! You are brilliant and far more sophisticated than I! I love your sneaking beans inside your pizza dough and I just love your chickpea muffins. I can’t wait to try them. They look absolutely delicious! I like to use black lentils instead of flour in my chocolate cake but had never thought of chickpeas. Love it! Thank you so much for your lovely comments. I am truly honored!
Oh wow! You made me blush 🙂
Hahah, all the way from the USA!!!
I make homemade pizza with whole wheat flour quite a lot, but the avocado is something different. Will give it a try. For sauce, I usually just open two large cans of San marzano tomatoes, drain them thoroughly, then add garlic, basil and oregano. It’s very easy, and it like the brightness and chunkiness of the tomatoes.
That sounds delicious Jennifer!! Perfect! I can’t wait for you to try the avocado in there–it really just disappears in the sauce but leaves that wonderful richness behind!!!