Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Rice Flour Pizza Crust - WOW!

For anyone out there who has a gluten sensitivity, here's an outstanding gluten-free pizza crust for you. I just made it today for the first time and it got rave reviews by my whole family and our friends who joined us for dinner. Most of us liked it better than any "normal" pizza crust we've had before. There's a combined chewy and crispy texture along with a mild whole grain flavor that substantially supports any toppings you choose. No falling apart (like many gluten-free things) and no compromising taste or texture just because you deviated from the tried and true wheat flours. You can expect that a rice flour dough will feel sort of like cookie dough. It's very different from a wheat flour dough because the rice lacks the elastic gluey protein called gluten (found in wheat). Never fear. It just requires a little bit different handling. It's not hard at all. You just spread, push, and shape the dough into the pan with your fingers rather than using a rolling pin or pulling and stretching it. The directions below are very helpful: complete and accurate. Embrace brown rice! It's easy on the digestive tract and full of nutrients. Lately I'm learning that it's good to rotate foods as much as possible to give your body a break from the same ingredient day after day... like wheat which is usually overdone in the Standard American Diet (SAD) in the form of both white flour and whole wheat flour. People are more prone to food sensitivities and allergies when they gravitate to the same food day after day (my doctor just reminded me of this today). Regardless of any analysis, I plain love this pizza crust!
Here ya go... and let me know if you try it.

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

By: GinnyP 
Oct 29, 2002

From Carol Fenster's "Special Diet Solutions".

SERVES 6 (change servings and units)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon dry yeast

2/3 cup brown rice flour or gram flour or fava bean flour (I use 'garfava' flour which is a blend)

1/2 cup tapioca flour

2 tablespoons powdered milk or non-dairy powdered coffee creamer (Dairy alternative, 2 T tapioca flour or sweet rice flour in place of 2 T dry milk powder or non-dair)

2 teaspoons xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

1 teaspoon italian seasoning

2/3 cup water (110 degrees F)

1/2 teaspoon sugar or honey or agave syrup

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In medium bowl using regular beaters (not dough hooks), blend all ingredients on low speed.

Beat on high speed for 3 minutes.

(If mixer bounces around bowl, dough is too stiff. Add water if necessary, one tablespoon at a time, until dough does not resist beaters.) Dough will resemble soft bread dough.

Put mixture on lightly greased 12-inch pizza pan or 11 x 7-inch pan (for deep dish version).

Liberally sprinkle rice flour on dough, then press dough into pan, continuing to sprinkle with flour to prevent sticking to hands.

Make edges slightly thicker to hold toppings.

Bake pizza crust for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven.

Spread pizza crust with your favorite sauce and toppings.

Bake another 20 to 25 minutes or until top is nicely browned.

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Gluten-Free-Pizza-Crust-44487



7 comments:

Amy said...

Oh, I forgot to say that soaking the rice flour is always the most beneficial way to get full nutrition and ease of digestion from your whole grains. I added this step to the gluten-free pizza crust recipe by simply placing the rice flour and water in a bowl (covered) for 7 hours... and then combining the rest of the ingredients. Another way I tried was to make the whole pizza dough and place it in the pizza pan, cover it with plastic wrap, and allow it to sit in the frig. overnight. This constitutes "soaking the grain" and it builds in the convenience of a make-ahead pizza crust waiting for you to bake it and top it the next day.

emmaulrich said...

Can't wait to try it! Thanks! I love your love for God intermixed in it all. I am the same way! God helps our health and can prompt us of what is good for our bodies and soul!

Amy said...

Thansk for writing "emmaulrich." yes, God made a really amazing earth and all the food in it...just for us! How loved are we!

Anonymous said...

Great recipe! Thanks for sharing it. I made it exactly and it was perfect. Everyone loved it with good homemade pizza sauce, fresh basil, thinly sliced shallots and seeded tomato slices for the topping. Yummy!

Amy said...

Glad u liked it! I also found another great recipe for rice pizza crust that has cooked rice, 1egg, and some cheese. That's it. Press it into pan on parchment paper and bake until cheese and egg just adhere the rice together, then top with pizza toppings and bake again. I'll post that recipe when I get home. :)

Deana Tankersley said...

Kudos to you for this outstanding recipe, I have been looking lately for a great rice flour pizza crust, as it already is great in breading some things I make..but also kudos for not being timid in mentioning God food, as He put our food here as our nourishing sustenance ..and we seemed to have steered so far from that in relation to diseases and such..it's back to real God food as you put it for me.. =D and never have I felt better..thanks again and wishing you a mighty fine day from Georgia..

Amy said...

Thanks Deana! Have you ever seen gluten-free brown rice flour tortillas in the organic freezer section? They also make into GREAT thin crusts for personal pizzas. For a quick pizza sauce, I mix organic spaghetti sauce with some organic tomato paste (to desired thickness). Enjoy your day with God!