Spectacular Pizza

I had company over this weekend.

They need to eat just like everyone else in the world.

But, there were dietary restrictions- I needed gluten free and they needed nearly dairy free. Whatever we ate needed to be healthy, fit our dietary guidelines, and be delicious. So I thought about it for a few days prior to the visit.

What did I come up with for supper? Pizza. Yep, pizza.

We ended up making two separate pizzas. The first was a pineapple and ham pizza on a new gluten free crust (which I was told by my husband is the best pizza crust ever) and the second were mini veggie pizzas. (Equally spectacular)

The gluten free crust was great. I was little nervous when I made up the dough (this seems to be a recurring theme lately LOL) because it looked like lumpy mashed potatoes. No joke. My company looks over my shoulder and giggles- "It looks like seasoned mashed potatoes." GF cooking really is an adventure.

This dough was different from others I've tried because it contained a teaspoon of unflavored gelatin. I have read a lot of recipes that call for this particular ingredient but I didn't know why. Well, now I know why. The gelatin gives the finished crust a great "chewy" texture just like a thick wheat-based crust from a pizzeria. Jon was beyond impressed. I've got to admit, I was too.

For the other pizzas we did a simple veggie pizza, on a fat free corn tortilla. I came up with this quick thin crust option when I was ravenous after work one day. All you do is toast up a corn tortilla on both sides under a broiler. Remove the browned "crust" from the oven, top with desired toppings (in this case mounded fresh spinach, fresh mushrooms, a drizzle of olive oil, a small amount of feta and Parmesan cheeses, finished with a sprinkle of kosher salt & black pepper) Return the pizza to the oven, broil until the cheeses brown and the veggies wilt down a little bit. And there you have it, lunch or supper in just a few minutes. Fantastic!

As much as I want to give credit to someone for this crust recipe, I can't. I read this same recipe on so many websites I don't recall which one I actually wrote it down from. So- to everyone in the blogosphere who has posted this recipe: I thank you for the wonderful addition to my family favorites!

Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!


Pizza Crust (Jon's Favorite)
Makes one large crust

1 packet dry yeast (rapid rise)
2/3 cup rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
2 TBS powdered milk
2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp unflavored gelatin
1 tsp dry Italian seasoning
2/3 cup warm water (110 degrees F)
1 tsp brown sugar, NOT packed
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 425.

In a small glass bowl, combine water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit to proof.

Meanwhile, in a mixer fitted with regular beaters (not dough hooks) combine all the dry ingredients.

Once the yeast has bloomed (about 3-5 minutes) Pour the yeast mixture into the dry ingredients. Add the oil and vinegar. Blend on low speed until combined. Add additional warm water 2 TBS at a time until the dough resembles a soft bread dough (or in my case soft, lumpy mashed potatoes)

Dump onto a floured counter top. Liberally sprinkle the dough with additional flour. (I just used my gf all purpose flour) Knead the dough for 1-2 minutes until it holds together.

Spray a pizza pan lightly with cooking spray. Spritz your hands with cooking spray and press the dough into a thin, even layer.

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. (If you are using a pizza pan with a zillion little perforations like I do, take a long handled spatula and gently loosen the par baked dough from the pan.) Top dough with desired toppings.  Return to oven and bake 15-20 minutes longer, until the toppings are done and cheese is golden brown.

Let rest 3-5 minutes before slicing.