WFPB Pizza Crust

Instructions

1. To make the sponge, gently heat the milk and date paste in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring to combine. Sprinkle the yeast and flour over the milk, cover pan, and set aside for 30 minutes in a warm place.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and salt; mix well.
3. Add the sponge to the flour mixture and knead to form a dough. If the dough is sticky, add more all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until dough is soft and not too sticky. Cover the bowl with a cloth and keep in a warm place for an hour while dough rises.
4. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Place the ball of dough on a flour-dusted work surface, and use a knife to cut the dough into 2 equal portions.
6. Roll each portion of dough into 8-inch crusts; poke the crusts several times with the tines of a fork.
7. Transfer the crusts to separate baking sheets.
8. Place one of the baking sheets on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 15 minutes to cook the crust halfway through (this is called par-baking). Repeat this process with the second crust.
9. Once removed from the oven, top the par-baked crusts with the pizza sauce and toppings of your choice, and return the pizzas to the oven to bake for 20 more minutes or until the toppings are cooked through.