Pizza w/ Refried Beans, Wild Rice, Apples, & Crema

This Rice Pizza consists of homemade refried pinto beans, black rice w/ sweet potatoes, roasted apples, fresh mozzarella, and crema.

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Total Time 40

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian, Latin American

Servings 8 servings

Combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let rest for 15 minutes, or until the yeast begins to bubble.
Meanwhile, whisk together whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, and salt in a large bowl.
After the yeast has proofed, stir yeast mixture into the flour. Mix until roughly incorporated and the dough has a shaggy appearance.
Add in the olive oil and mix until all of the ingredients are combined.
In a mixer with a dough hook attachment, this only takes a minute or two. By hand, this takes about 5 minutes. It's a no-knead bread recipe, so you're not necessarily looking for soft and pliable dough. Really, you just want all of the ingredients to be mixed thoroughly at this point! Which does make it a great recipe to make by hand if you prefer or don't have a mixer.
Cover dough and let proof for 6 hours, or until doubled in size. Alternatively, place in the refrigerator for 1-3 days.
A quick pizza dough proof can be done in about 6 hours. Ideally, the dough is made 2 days ahead of time and proofed in the refrigerator for that time. However, I almost never know that I'm going to make pizza 2 days ahead of time! And 6 hours is perfectly adequate.

For the refried beans, add all of the ingredients to a crock pot. Slow cook on low for 8 hours. Drain or cook off any excess liquid and mash with a potato masher until smooth (or the desired consistency).
For the rice, add all of the ingredients into a rice cooker. I like to start with the larger vegetables and then add the smaller ingredients, followed by the rice and water. Press the cook button on the rice cooker. It should take about 45 minutes to cook.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Core the apples, slice, and cut into 1/4-inch cubes. Coat in olive oil and spices. Place evenly across a baking sheet and cook for 25-30 minutes. Make sure to stir or flip halfway through to get an even cook on all sides.
For the crema, mix all of the ingredients together until smooth. Let sit at room temperature for 2-3 hours and then serve or refrigerate.
The citrus in the lime juice will keep the crema from going bad. Just make sure to refrigerate it after a couple of hours. You're looking for it to be a little bit sour, but not spoiled because it will eventually go bad!

Preheat the barbecue to medium-high heat. Alternatively, you can do what I did today and cook the pizzas on a griddle in the oven. Preheat the griddle in the oven at 550 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes.
Divide the dough in quarters. Lightly flour a large, flat surface and roll out each dough until roughly 1/4-inch thick.
It can help to let the dough proof for another 15 minutes. Although this is entirely optional. It will make a fluffier, rather than a crispier crust. If you want something more like a flatbread pizza, cook immediately. You can even spritz it with a little bit of oil for a little extra crunch.
Carefully pick up the dough and drop it onto the grill or griddle. Grill until the dough just begins to char and grill lines begin to form. This takes about 1-2 minutes on the barbecue and 3-5 minutes in the oven.

Spread refried beans across the pizza. Then, top with wild rice and apples.
Top with fresh mozzarella and crema.
Return to the oven and cook for about 6-8 minutes, or until the cheese begins to brown.
Since the crust has already been cooked slightly, make sure that it doesn't burn on the bottom before the cheese melts. If there is any doubt, look to the crust to determine doneness.
Sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper and serve immediately.