Get ready to add a new favorite dinner to your weekly rotation…whole-wheat pizza pockets! These are sure to please eaters of all ages and the best part is you can use up food or leftovers from your fridge for the fillings. Little ones might especially enjoy making
their own pizza pocket so don’t be afraid to get them involved. Their friends might like to help as well so for the next sleepover or birthday gathering consider hosting a “make your own pizza pocket” party. And if you have time to double the recipe these are great leftover the next day or even weeks later if stored in the freezer.
Whole-Wheat Pizza Pockets
Dough Ingredients
- 1 cup water- 2 teaspoons dry active yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups whole-wheat flour
Filling Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups ricotta cheese - 1 ¼ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Other fillings as desired: We sautéed 1 link mild Italian sausage, half pack mushrooms, and ½ green bell pepper with onions and garlic. Other ideas include pesto, BBQ chicken, cilantro, pineapple, caramelized onions, olives, basil, roasted garlic, spinach, eggplant, goat cheese, figs, and zucchini.
- Pizza sauce (For those in Charlotte we are addicted to Fisher Farm’s “tomato sauce,” which is made by organic standards and available at the Matthews Farmer’s Market!)
- Raw sesame seeds (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. - In a glass measuring cup heat 1-cup water until warm. Drop in 2 teaspoons yeast and let rest for a minute.
- After the yeast foams up a bit add the salt and olive oil to the water mixture and gently stir if necessary.
- In a food processor or mixer with a dough blade/hook add 3 cups
flour. Pour in the water mixture and process until a dough ball forms. - Coat a large bowl with olive oil, add the pizza dough ball, and cover with plastic wrap while you prepare the other fillings.
- In another bowl mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Chop and/or cook other desired fillings while dough rises on the counter (20 – 30 minutes). Alternatively you can make the dough earlier in the day and let it rise in the fridge or if you are short on time it will still work if you don’t let it rise at all!
- Divide dough into 6 equal sized pieces. Shape each one into a ball and then flatten it out with a rolling pin. Don’t roll it too thin (see picture for recommended size).
- Spread a spoonful of pizza sauce in the center of the dough. Add two heaping spoonfuls of the cheese mixture and one spoonful of filling (or 3 spoonfuls of cheese mixture if no other filling is desired).
- Seal edges of the dough together as best you can with your fingers (see photo for two examples) and flip it over so seam side is down on a greased baking sheet. Make a couple of holes with a fork in the top (to prevent the cheese from leaking out the bottoms/sides) and top with raw sesame seeds if desired.
- Bake in the oven for 12 – 15 minutes and once done let cool for a few minutes.
- Serve with warm pizza sauce for dipping and enjoy!
Yield: 4 – 5 servings
Related posts:
- Whole-wheat pizza
- Grilled whole-wheat pizza
In other news check out my weekly syndicated newspaper column that ran in papers this week including the Miami Herald. If you like the article please click “like” next to the title…thanks for your support!
Article: “Finding ‘real food’ at restaurants is hit or miss“
