Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

Not many foods are more irresistible than a slice of greasy, cheesy pepperoni pizza. Few things can be more infuriating and depressing for gluten-intolerant or wheat-intolerant people than watching non-celiac friends devour slice after slice, knowing that even a few bites will cause hours of pain, discomfort, and vomiting.

Gluten-free pizza crusts and pizza mixes are available in many stores and online, but often, these products lack the taste, texture, and satisfaction of a crispy, New York-style pie. The flimsy, slimy, and bean-like flavors of many of these crusts are even more disappointing than being excluded at the local pizza joint. The extra cost, often two or three times as much as a wheat-based crust, quickly consume non-gluten budgets, too.

Online searches reveal dozens of crusts made from every non-gluten flour imaginable. Again, these flours regularly bring $6 to $7 per bag, and recipes frequently combine two or three flours in an attempt to simulate the perfection of a typical wheat-based crust.

But crafting a wheat-free crust isn't actually that difficult. Using common grocery-store items, many of which are probably already in the cupboard, a wonderful, light, crispy crust can be prepared in minutes.

The best pizza crust is made with one flour, corn starch. This airy, light fine grind of corn produces a wonderful, tight crumb. It holds up well to toppings and flavors easily. The recipe below is an adaptation of several recipes from several places, but most importantly from the book You Won't Believe It's Gluten-Free! By Roben Ryberg.

It is best to use a scale to measure the flour, as corn starch packs down easily.

Place 2 tablespoons of active dry yeast in ½ cup of luke warm water. Gently stir with a fork to suspend the yeast, but avoid making it frothy. Make sure to use yeast that is gluten-free, such as that sold by Red Star, commonly available at most grocery stores, including Walmart. Add 1-2 tablespoons of table sugar, then set this in a warm place for about 10 minutes or until it has doubled in size.

Optional: Place a tablespoon of flax meal in 1/3 cup water for two minutes. This replaces one egg and adds nutrients including healthy omega-3 fatty acids to the dough. Flax meal can be purchased at most grocery stores. One bag lasts a long time. Bob's Red Mill sells excellent, certified gluten-free flaxmeal.

In a large mixing bowl, weigh out 155 grams of corn starch. If you don't have a scale, use about 1 ¼ cups of corn starch, spooning the flour carefully into the measuring cup to avoid packing.

Add to the flour; ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 ¼ teaspoon xantham gum, ½ teaspoon coarse salt, ½ teaspoon onion powder, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder, unless using fresh onion and garlic. Use a whisk or a fork to mix thoroughly.

Crack two eggs into the flax meal set aside earlier, or three eggs if not using the flax meal. Add two tablespoons of oil. I prefer to use grape seed oil because of the health and high heat abilities, but olive oil works fine. With a fork, mix until the egg yolks are no longer solid.

Carefully stir the now-risen yeast and pour into the flax-egg-oil mixture, then stir until completely mixed. Add two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Distilled white vinegar can also be used.

Stir the liquid into the flour mixture. The result will be a much thinner dough than a traditional pizza dough, but it should also be quite sticky. If it is runny, add a small amount of xantham gum. Set aside.

Turn the oven to 450 degrees. Use a glass baking dish. If making pizza for two, a 9”x9” dish is fine. Use a larger dish for a bigger pizza.

Spread about a teaspoon of oil on the bottom of the pan, then gently sprinkle about a ½ tablespoon of corn starch across the oil. The oil keeps the dough from sticking and the cornstarch keeps the dough from breaking down in the oil and getting soggy.

Use about two tablespoons of dough for a 9”x9” pan. An easy trick with gluten-free cooking is to use water to keep the dough from sticking. Spread the dough carefully with damp hands to a very thin layer, ¼ inches thick or so. Gently dimple the surface with fingertips almost completely through.

Set the pizza in the oven. It does not matter if the oven is not up to temperature yet. Check the crust every few minutes. Depending on several factors, including thickness and the oven used, it could take 8-15 minutes for the crust to begin to brown. It is ready when the edges are starting to darken and the center no longer looks wet.

Remove from the oven and brush with a small amount of oil. If using fresh garlic and onions, they can go on now.

This pizza is best without sauce. Sauce tends to cause the crust to become damp and fall apart. Once finished, pizza sauce can be used for dipping if desired.

Toppings are a personal preference, but for a simple pepperoni pizza, shred cheese over the baked crust, then layer with pepperoni. Slice mushrooms and onions and place on top. Shred a small amount of cheese over the top and then add sliced olives. Put back in the oven for a few minutes until the edges of the pepperoni are crispy and the cheese is melted. Remove and let cool for a few minutes before slicing.

This will make a really nice pizza that even gluten-eating friends will not guess is gluten-free. The light, crispy texture is very pleasing. Extra dough can be stored in the refrigerator in a glass jar, but remember to leave room for the yeast to continue to rise.

This pizza can be made sans pepperoni and the eggs can be replaced entirely with flax for a vegan-friendly, non-dairy meal also.