My perfect pizza dough has evolved to reach a state of perfection, and no more modifications to the recipe are needed. Pizza made from this dough is crispy on the bottom, with a tender crumb inside, and a chewy, grainy flavor. And because it’s full of healthy ingredients, the dough is good for you, too. How can you beat that?

I make this dough several times a month and cut each portion into anywhere from two to four equally sized pieces. What I don’t use right off, I freeze. When I’m in the mood for a pizza, I take the dough from the freezer and thaw it at room temperature (wrapped in its freezer bag), and by dinner time it’s ready to use. A few weeks ago I experimented with using the dough for more than pizza. If it makes great pizza, I figured, it should make terrific…

 
Flatbread  To try flatbread, I thawed a ball of dough, and invented a flatbread recipe to compliment a mild pasta dish. What a success! Give it a try yourself. Here’s what you need:

• • my pizza dough—use 1/4 to 1/2 of the risen dough
• • extra virgin olive oil
• • 2 heaping tablespoons sesame seeds
• • 2 heaping tablespoons flax seeds
• • 2 heaping tablespoons dried rosemary
• • freshly ground black pepper to taste
• • cornmeal

 
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Sprinkle cornmeal over a non-stick or regular baking sheet. If you don’t use non-stick, smear a small amount of canola oil on the sheet first, then sprinkle the cornmeal over the oil. Press the dough out into a roughly rectangular shape. If you want a thin, crispy flatbread, press the dough to about one-quarter inch thick. If you like chewier flatbread, press the dough out to about half an inch thick. Using a pastry brush, spread extra virgin olive oil over the dough. Distribute the seeds and dried rosemary over the flatbread, then grind black pepper over the bread to taste. Allow the flatbread to rest and rise while the oven preheats, about 15-20 minutes. Here’s a photo of a risen, dressed flatbread:

 

 
And here’s a close-up of the concentration of toppings:

 

 
Bake the flatbread on a middle rack for between 12 and 20 minutes, or until the top is golden and the crust is crispy. Remove from the oven and slide the flatbread off onto a cutting board, where it can be cut into slices as large or small as you like. Here’s what mine looked like fresh out of the oven:

 

 
I pressed the center of my flatbread too thin, and it charred there (the charred pieces tasted great!). And here’s a close-up:

 

 
I sliced mine into slim rectangular slabs except at the ends, where I cut them into wedges. The thin, chewy crust was perfect, and the topping of toasted nuts and rosemary complimented the pasta wonderfully.

 

 
Still hungry? Want dessert? Then make…

 
Cinnamon Rolls  Use the the same dough, it’s perfect. Here’s the ingredient list

• • my pizza dough—use 1/4 to 1/2 of the risen dough
• • soft butter or butter substitute—about a quarter cup
• • approximately 1/2 cup brown sugar
• • 1-2 tablespoons cinnamon
• • 1/4 cup raisins
• • 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• • cold black coffee—from a few teaspoons to a few tablespoons

 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly flour your workspace. Spread out the dough to about a quarter inch thick. Using a flexible spatula, spread butter or butter spread over the dough. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the butter, and repeat with cinnamon to taste. Then distribute the raisins over the toppings. Roll the rough jelly roll-style, starting on one of the narrow ends. Place the roll seam-side down. Slice the roll into one-inch disks. Place them in a greased eight-inch cake pan with their sides touching. Allow to rise while the oven preheats, 15 minutes or so. Bake on a middle rack for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the pan cool while mixing up icing. Put the confectioners sugar into a mixing bowl, and add a few teaspoons of coffee. Stir. Add more coffee a little at a time until you have a spreadable icing. Spread onto the warm rolls and allow them to cool a little longer. Devour!

 

 
I’ve got a few more ideas for my perfect pizza dough recipe, so stay tuned! Until then, why not give these recipes a try yourself? They’re delicious! And that’s no April Fool’s joke.

 
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