The GFCF Recipe Experience: Pizza Crust Revisited

My kids love pizza. Just like almost any other kid. And if there is one GFCF recipe to have on hand (aside from, say, chocolate chip cookies and chocolate cake), it might be for pizza. Because at just about every birthday party my kids attend they serve pizza. And one of my goals is to make sure my kids can have the same thing everyone else is having.



For a long time we had been using this yeast free pizza crust recipe, which worked out great. But over the last couple of years we have been making more and more baked goods involving yeast, and I wanted to try to make a crust that was more chewy than the yeast free recipe.



Success!!!



This recipe is based on this gluten free pizza crust recipe that I found on the Taste of Home website. The original recipe called for dry milk powder, which, to make this recipe casein free, I simply eliminated. I also (since I did not have it on hand) eliminated the gelatin. Even with out those two ingredients, it still made a great crust that is now the favorite pizza crust in the house.



This recipe makes a nice 12" pizza, or, as you can see in the photo, four mini pizzas, made to order.





GFCF PIZZA CRUST

Adapted from a gluten free crust recipe at Taste of Home



INGREDIENTS



1 tbsp active dry yeast

2/3 cup warm (110°) water

1 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup tapioca flour

2 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp cider vinegar (or white vinegar)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar





In a medium to large bowl dissolve the yeast in the water.



In a separate bowl combine the brown rice flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, Italian seasoning, sugar, and salt. Add this, along with the vinegar and olive oil, to the yeast mixture and stir using a wooden or plastic spoon to combine until a dough is formed - add more brown rice flour if necessary. You want the dough to be soft and a little sticky.



To make a 12" pie, place the dough on a brown rice - floured surface and roll out to a 13" circle. Transfer to a pizza pan coated with cooking spray, and roll up the edges until you have a 12" crust.



To make 4 individual pies, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece out into a circle around 1/4" - 1/8" thick, and transfer each crust to a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.



Cover your crust(s) and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°.



After 10 minutes, place the crust(s) in the oven and bake for 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with your favorite GFCF pizza toppings.**



**NOTE: pre-melt the CF cheese (see this post) before using to prevent overcooking the pizza while waiting for the cheese to melt. I did not do this on the ones in the photo, and you can see how the crusts got a little crispy.



Return to the oven and cook another 10 - 15 minutes until done.