A Journey of Learning

I've been gluten free for about 2 1/2 years now. I remember those early days of trying to sort through all the information and recipes to figure out what to eat. Because seriously, I believed I was doomed to eat cheese and apples for the rest of my life. (I didn't say I was rational during that time.)

So much has changed since then. I am confident enough with my gf cooking to entertain non-gf friends in my home... and I serve only gf foods. It's been a journey of trial and error... of learning.

What I hope to do, through this blog... through connections on Facebook and through people... it to help ease the burdens of others who are on this gf journey, too. If I can help to navigate the recipes or walk a newbie through the local grocery store with a gf perspective, I will. It's a scary time, in the beginning, figuring out what is safe and what is not... mourning things you will never taste again... it feels like starting over in the kitchen.

One thing I have learned is that there is always room for improvement. Early on, I played around with a pizza crust recipe. The results were the best I had eaten up to that time and I was excited to share the recipe! Recently, though, I decided to work on it again. With just a little tweaking, I found I loved it more! The crust has more flavor, is chewier... and requires less time (no rising!).

We are on this journey together, my friend! May I encourage you to share what you know with others just starting out? In the meantime, I'll share my updated pizza crust with you.

You know it's because I love you, right? Good.

Gluten Free Pizza Crust

1 ½ cups warm water (around 110 degrees)

2 Tbsp sugar

1 packet of yeast

1 cup brown rice flour 

1 cup sorghum flour

2 cups tapioca starch

2 tsp xanthan gum

2 tsp salt

4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

To prepare the crust:

In a 2 cup measuring cup, stir together the warm water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the yeast and give a quick stir. Let sit for 10 minutes, until a tan foam covers the top.

In the meantime, mix together (in a stand mixer bowl) the brown rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum and salt. Stir to completely combine. Add the yeast water and olive oil. Mix, using a  paddle attachment on medium high speed until the dough comes together, about 5 minutes.

To make the pizza:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Lightly cover a pizza stone or pan with brown rice flour (to prevent sticking) and place the dough on the pan. Using your hands, work the dough out into a flat circle, leaving a little extra on the outer edge (like a ledge of dough around the circumference of the circle). Add sauce, cheese and any toppings you choose. You can also add a little Italian seasoning over the cheese for more flavor. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is bubbled up and beginning to brown all over the top. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

A Culinary Longing

I have found, in the time since being diagnosed with gluten intolerance, that there are very few foods I truly miss. Most things have something comparable to switch to and I try very hard to make them as delicious as possible (or, in other words, just like the gluten-filled version). The one thing, though, that still makes me let out just a little sigh is… pizza. True pizza shop pizza. I can’t help it, I have Italian blood running through my veins. It’s not as though I have a choice. I’m a helpless victim of heredity. It was, in fact, the last gluten-y thing I ate before switching over to the gluten free diet.

It was the “test” meal I had to eat after being off gluten for 2 weeks. I thoroughly enjoyed every bite… savoring it. I did NOT, however, enjoy the consequences of that slice. Oh, that it would be so cruel to attack my body as it did!

I have tried numerous recipes for gluten free pizza crust… all of which have been complete disasters.

Tasteless, flimsy, odd stuff that was insulting to my Italian taste buds.

Until tonight.

Tonight I made a pizza that had a chewy crust. Did you just see what word I used? CHEWY. The outer edge of the crust was crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside. Yes, I wrote that word again. It had good flavor, it had good texture and everyone at the table, including my picky almost-three-year-old, liked it.

Sure, I’ll probably still sigh a little as I drive past my favorite little pizza shop on the corner, because let’s face it, there is nothing like a piece of real, gluten-loaded pizza.

But no more tasteless, flimsy odd stuff for us anymore! Let’s call it Christmas in July, dear friends!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO US!

FOR AN UPDATED VERSION OF THIS RECIPE, CLICK HERE

Gluten Free Pizza Crust

1 ½ cups warm water (around 110 degrees)

2 Tbsp sugar

1 packet of yeast

1 ½ cups brown rice flour

½ cup sorghum flour

2 cups tapioca starch

2 tsp xanthan gum

2 tsp salt

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

To prepare the crust:

In a 2 cup measuring cup, stir together the warm water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add the yeast and give a quick stir. Let sit for 10 minutes, until a tan foam covers the top.

In the meantime, mix together (in a stand mixer bowl) the brown rice flour, sorghum flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum and salt. Stir to completely combine. Add the yeast water and olive oil. Mix, using a bread dough hook (or the paddle attachment, if you don’t have a hook) until the dough comes together in a moist ball.

Grease the inside of a medium bowl and place the dough in the bowl. Cover with a wet paper towel and let sit in a warm place for an hour. The dough should almost double in size in that time.

To make the pizza:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Lightly cover a pizza stone or pan with brown rice flour (to prevent sticking) and place the dough on the pan. Using your hands, work the dough out into a flat circle, leaving a little extra on the outer edge (like a ledge of dough around the circumference of the circle). Bake the pizza crust (without any toppings) for 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and add sauce, cheese and any toppings you choose. You can also add a little Italian seasoning over the cheese for more flavor. Bake for another 20+ minutes until the cheese is bubbled up and beginning to brown all over the top. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting.