Gluten Free Pizza

[kirra]

Gluten Free Pizza

Crisp on the bottom and chewy in the center, this gluten-free pie gives pizzeria fare a run for its money. Feel free to vary the toppings to suit your taste (keeping in mind that processed pepperoni and even some brands of pre-grated cheese may contain gluten, so read ingredients carefully.)

This recipe makes two 10-inch pies—perfect for two very hungry people or two to three pretty hungry people. For easy weeknight meals, make a double recipe of the baked crusts and freeze some to top and broil when you need them.

Ingredients:

Tomato Sauce:

1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with added purée
4 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Pizza Crust:

3/4 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup white rice flour Use white rice flour; brown will result in gritty pizza dough.
1/3 cup chickpea flour
1/3 cup sorghum flour
1 teaspoon xanthum gum
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup whole milk
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast, from 1 (1/4-ounce) package
2 teaspoons sugar
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Topping:

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, coarsely grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated (about 1 tablespoon)
4 large fresh basil leaves, roughly torn

Special Equipment: pizza stone or heavy baking sheet, baking peel or heavy baking sheet, parchment paper

Preparation:

Tomato Sauce:
In a 4-quart nonreactive saucepan over very low heat, stir together tomatoes and oil. Bring to simmer, cover partially, and continue simmering, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced to 1 cup, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in sugar, salt, and oregano, cover. Keep warm or refrigerate, covered, up to 5 days.

Pizza Crust:
In bowl of electric mixer, whisk together tapioca flour, white rice flour, chickpea flour, sorghum flour, xanthum gum, and salt.

In small saucepan over moderate heat, stir together milk and 1/4 cup water and heat until warm but not hot to the touch, about 1 minute (the mixture should register between 105°F and 115° F on candy thermometer). Stir in yeast and sugar. Add milk–yeast mixture, egg whites, and 2 tablespoons oil to dry ingredients and, using paddle attachment, beat at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until dough is very smooth and very thick, about 5 minutes.

Remove racks from oven, set pizza stone or heavy upturned baking sheet on bottom of oven, and preheat to 400°F. (Preheat at least 45 minutes if using pizza stone or 20 minutes if using baking sheet.)

Have ready two 12-inch squares parchment paper. Scrape half of dough onto each square and form each half into a ball. Coat each ball with 2 teaspoons oil, then use oiled fingertips to pat and stretch each ball into 9-inch-diameter round, 1/4 inch thick, with a 1/2-inch-thick border. Loosely cover rounds with plastic wrap and let rise in warm draft-free place until each pizza is about 10 inches in diameter, about 20 minutes.

Using baking peel, transfer 1 crust with parchment to preheated pizza stone and bake until top is puffed and firm and underside is crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. Using baking peel and discarding parchment paper, transfer baked crust to rack to cool. Bake second crust in same manner. (Baked crusts can be made ahead and frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap, up to 1 month. Thaw in 350°F oven until hot, 4 to 5 minutes, before topping and broiling.)

Top & Broil Pizzas:
Preheat broiler. Transfer baked crusts to 2 large baking sheets. Brush 1 teaspoon olive oil over each crust. Spread each with sauce, leaving 1/2-inch border bare, then sprinkle each with mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Drizzle remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil over pizzas.

Broil pizzas about 4 inches from heat, rotating as needed for even browning, until cheese is bubbling and browned in places and crust is golden brown, 4 to 8 minutes. Scatter with basil, slice, and serve immediately.