Gluten-Free Pizza Options
Posted on: 14 December 2015
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Getting the diagnosis of being gluten intolerant can seem like dire news, particularly if you are a keen pizza lover. Luckily, with the growing number of gluten-intolerant consumers, there are more and more options open for gluten-free pizza.
Gluten-free flour base
One of the simplest options to make gluten-free pizza is to substitute a wheat flour for gluten-free flour in your favourite pizza dough recipe. A simple recipe you can try is 2 cups of flour, 1 tsp of sugar and salt, 1 tsp of yeast, 2 Tbsp of olive oil and 3/4 cup of warm water. Mix the ingredients, then leave the dough to rise. Knead again before use.
Some people like to add a small amount of xanthan gum to create a binding effect and mimic the natural 'chewiness' of a traditional flour base—try using 1 tsp per cup of gluten-free flour in your recipe to add extra chewiness.
Cauliflower crust
If you are gluten free in an effort to reduce the amount of processed carbohydrates in your diet, then a cauliflower crust pizza crust can be a great solution. Cauliflower crusts are made by finely chopping cauliflower (in a food processor), which you then cook and drain of fluid by patting between paper towels. The cooked cauliflower can then be combined with almond meal and egg to create a rich and crispy crust which is also high in protein and healthy fat. Try using a ratio of 1 cup of cooked cauliflower to 1 egg, then slowly add almond meal up to 1 cup until you get a dough-like consistency. This is an impressively tasty crust with a healthy kick. Be sure to keep an eye on this pizza as it cooks, as it can be more temperamental to burning than traditional flour-based pizza crust.
Potato base
Another fun gluten-free pizza base, especially for finger food, is to make single tiny pizzas by placing toppings onto a single round slice of potato. For a full-sized pizza, you can overlay thin slices of potato to create a pizza base that can be baked in the oven like a normal pizza base. It can often take a little longer than a traditional pizza to cook, at around 30 minutes. You can reduce the cooking time by partially cooking the potato slices in the microwave, although this reduces the amount that the potato slices cling to each other as they cook. You can soak the slices in an egg and milk solution to help with binding if needed.
Of course if you are just feeling lazy and looking forward to takeaway pizza, more and more pizza shops are producing gluten-free pizzas that taste and look as good as the gluten-rich options. Why not pick up the phone and called for a lovely, tasty pizza and park in front of the TV for a lazy night in?