Pizza is my most requested dish, especially from newly diagnosed patients. They all say the same thing: “I want my pizza back.” You can use your favorite store-bought pizza sauce for convenience, but this one is so thick it won’t make the crust soggy. For even better texture and fuller flavor in the crust, make the dough the day before (using cold rather than warm milk), and refrigerate, tightly covered. The next day, bring the dough to room temperature, and begin with Step 5. You start the pizza baking in a cold oven, which produces a lovely crust (see Step 6), but you can also bake it in a preheated oven (see Step 1 for preheating instructions). You can also freeze the dough ball (tightly wrapped) for up to a week; thaw in the fridge for best results.
MAKES A 12-INCH PIZZA: 6 SLICES
PIZZA SAUCE
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 small can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
TOPPING
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ cup sliced black olives
1 small green bell pepper, seeded, cut in
⅛-inch slices
6 marinated artichoke hearts, drained, cut in ½-inch slices
1 small onion, cut in ⅛-inch slices
1 garlic clove, minced
6 button mushrooms, cut in ¼-inch slices
1 cup grated low-fat mozzarella cheese or cheese alternative
PIZZA DOUGH
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 teaspoons evaporated cane juice, divided
⅔ cup brown rice flour, plus more for dusting the dough while shaping
½ cup tapioca flour
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
¾ cup warm (110°F) milk of choice, unless making the day before, in which case use cold milk
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1. Place racks in the lower and middle positions of the oven, but do not preheat the oven if using the cold-oven start (see Step 6). Otherwise, preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Make the Pizza Sauce: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. For a thicker sauce, simmer another 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Set aside to cool.
3. Make the Topping: In a heavy medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the olives, bell pepper, artichoke hearts, onion, garlic, and mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have released their juices and the onion is slightly translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
4. Make the Pizza Crust: In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and ½ teaspoon of the cane juice in the milk. Set aside to foam 5 minutes. In a food processor, blend yeast mixture, rice and tapioca flours, xanthan gum, oregano, salt, 1 teaspoon of the oil, the vinegar, and the remaining cane juice until a ball forms. If it doesn’t, add more milk a tablespoon at a time until it does. The dough will be very soft.
5. Generously grease a 12-inch nonstick (gray, not black) metal pizza pan with shortening (not cooking spray; it makes it harder to shape the dough). Place the dough on the pizza pan. Liberally dust the dough with rice flour; then press the dough onto the pan with your hands, continuing to dust with rice flour to prevent sticking, as needed. The smoother the dough, the smoother the baked crust will be. Make the edges very smooth and somewhat thicker to contain the toppings.
6. Place the formed crust on the bottom rack of the cold oven. Turn the oven to 400°F and bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove the pizza crust from the oven and brush the crust edge with the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Spread with the Pizza Sauce and then arrange the topping over the sauce. Top with the cheese.
7. Bake the pizza on the middle rack until the cheese is lightly browned, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool the pizza 5 minutes on a wire rack, then cut into 6 pieces. Serve hot.
Calories 295 • Fat 12g • Protein 11g • Carbohydrates 40g • Cholesterol 12mg • Sodium 845mg • Fiber 6g
This gluten free pizza crust recipe is taken from :
