Pizza Night

So, we have pizza night altogether too often in my house. Since it is everybody's favorite food, it seemed the ideal place to start. For most people who avoid gluten and/or dairy products, it is the absolute, number one craved food that just never quite delivers the way it used to. Gluten free pizza crusts can be stiff and dry and horrible, while also usually being made with ingredients like eggs and milk. For those of us who avoid dairy, it can be much worse. I mean, I used to buy pizza that boasted it was made with a whole pound of cheese! So what's pizza without cheese?

The answer is Fantastic!

Before I start sharing recipes, I should quickly make a statement. I love to cook and bake. I've been doing it for years and over the years my cooking methods have changed and evolved and continue to do so. Most of my recipes are my own, but some are taken and revised from other people. I will make my best attempt to give credit where credit is due, and I will also attempt to add links when I can. Otherwise, you can assume that my recipes have been tried and tested and perfected in my own kitchen. This is the way I like to eat and feed my family and friends, but I am not a nutritionist and I cannot diagnose or cure anybody's ailments. I just want to share.

So the first thing I need to do is give you a proper crust recipe. I have tried dozens of recipes and this is the only one that I have ever liked; and I don't just like it. I love it! It is relatively easy and has most things that most gluten free vegans will have on hand. I can't swear that it will be perfect if you monkey with the recipe, but feel free to do what you want to do. This is the way I like it best.


Gluten Free Pizza Dough










 Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 1/3 c. plain nondairy milk (not vanilla!)
(I like hemp milk best, but almond or soy would work fine. Also, if you make your own or buy unsweetened milk then you need to add a tsp. of sugar.)

2 c. gluten free flour mix (I like Bob's Red Mill AP Gluten Free)
1/3 c. brown rice flour
2 tsp. xanthan gum (every gluten free kitchen should have this)
(It's expensive but it lasts forever!)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Italian herbs (I like basil and oregano)

2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. cider vinegar

Cooking Instructions:
1. Put your pizza stone or baking pan into the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees .

2. Heat the milk in the microwave so that it is warm. Combine the milk with the sugar and yeast in a small mixing bowl. Let your liquid mixture sit and “proof” while you get the dry ingredients ready.

3. Combine the flour mix, herbs, salt and xanthan gum.

4. Add the oil and vinegar to the yeast mixture, which should have some air bubbles by now. Then add all of liquid ingredients into the flour mixture and mix well with your hands.

5. Place the dough onto a heavily floured rolling board (I use brown rice flour) and knead the dough for a few minutes, working in the rice flour until you dough is pliable and not sticky. I actually don't over mix this one, so it stays a bit squishy inside.

6. Roll the dough out into a circle that is approximately 1/8″ thick. A bit more brown rice flour or cornmeal make this a little easier to maneuver) Move the crust to a hot pizza stone or pregreased pizza pan (a pizza peel or large cutting board makes moving the crust into and out of the oven much easier) and bake at 400 degrees until the top of the crust gets just a hint of color.

7. Remove the crust from the oven. Add all of your toppings, and then put back in the oven to bake until your toppings look done.

Yields: 1 huge squishy, chewy 14-16 in pizza or 2 thin crust 12-14 in pizzas
(I like to double the recipe and make 3 crusts; 2 for the 4 of us and one for the freezer.)

This recipe is modified from a very unique recipe I found at http://www.glutenfreecookingschool.com/archives/rolling-in-dough-homemade-pizza-crust/


So now is the fun part! In my house, the boys are quite carnivorous. One pizza is always pepperoni and cheese, every single time. My daughter and I love veggies on our pizza. She is not a vegan, but we avoid dairy together and she loves vegetables!

This pizza was half pesto, half marinara with red pepper, black olives, and baby 'bella mushrooms. This is actually really great baked up just like this and sprinkled with fresh herbs or even topped with a lightly dressed arugula salad. Of course, for my daughter, we had to make it cheezy!

So, vegans, have no fear! I blended my favorite Daiya cheese with the slightly cheaper Soysations and topped the veggie pizza with it. It was so super yummy, and cheezy, and perfectly chewy! I like to garlic butter the crust with a bit of melted Earth Balance, garlic salt, and Italian herbs. It's just like the pizza shops, only I'm eating it! Yay!

So I hope you enjoyed this first recipe post and try this recipe! You will not regret it! It is the perfect pizza party and if you plan ahead, you can do this at a moment's notice.

Peace!
- Ali