How Do You Like Your Pizza?

How do you like your pizza? Thick crust? Thin crust? Tomato sauce or pesto? Veggie or meat lovers? I have been gluten-free for 12 years now and just looking at a regular thick crust pizza with loads of cheese makes my stomach hurt. Partly, because if I ate it I would end up with an excruciating headache and my stomach would hurt for days. I do like pizza, but it has to be gluten-free. Last week I made a cauliflower crust pizza. It tasted fine, but the bottom of the crust did not get crispy and I am not a fan of soggy pizza crust. 

Yesterday I was making a loaf of gluten-free sourdough bread, which I do every other week. I had some leftover over sourdough starter and thought I would try to create a pizza crust. It turned out great! Usually when I am creating recipes it takes a few times to get it just right, but this one came out perfect the first time. It's a great way to use leftover sourdough starter and it's good for you. The entire crust was crispy and it tasted great. 

I use sorghum flour in my sourdough starter, but in my bread and my pizza crust I always add some tiger nut flour. Tiger nut flour is my favorite gluten-free flour. Tiger nuts are not actually nuts at all. They are little tubers about the size of a chickpea with an amazing nutty flavor. They are high in antioxidants and fiber, and they are good for your gut.  I like to make tiger nut milk, also known as Horchata in Spain, and I like using the ground tiger nut flour in baking. Tiger nut flour can be hard to find in your local grocery store, but you can click HERE to get it online, which is where I buy it from. 

Below is my pizza recipe. Let me know if you try it or if you have any questions. You can also substitute oat flour for the tiger nut flour if you like.

GLUTEN-FREE SOURDOUGH PIZZA CRUST RECIPE

Ingredients:

300g gluten-free sourdough starter 

30 g tiger nut flour

30 g arrowroot flour

30 g cassava flour

1/4 t salt

dash garlic powder

1 egg or 3 T egg whites

2 T extra virgin olive oil

Directions: 

1. Combine all of the dry ingredients in a medium to large mixing bowl and stir together with a whisk.

2. Combine the wet ingredients in a small bowl and stir together.

3. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix together with a spoon. Cover with a damp cloth and let sit for 7 minutes. 

4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and place a pizza stone or pizza pan in the oven while it preheats. 

5. Divide dough into thirds, using 1/3 for each pizza crust. This will give you 3 personal size pizzas. Place 1/3 of the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper on the counter. Use a spatula to spread the dough into a circle. Using a pizza board, slide the parchment paper and the dough onto the pizza stone in the oven. Cook for 7 minutes and then remove. Do this with the other 2/3 of your dough as well.

6. Now you can top your crusts with whatever toppings you desire. You can use a tomato based sauce or a pesto. Put on your favorite toppings. I can't have cow dairy, so I use a goat and sheep cheese to put on my pizza. I'm sure fresh mozzarella would be great as well. Using your pizza board, slide your pizza onto the baking stone and bake for 15 minutes or until crust is browned and cheese is melted. 

7. Remove from oven, let cool for a couple of minutes and then slice and enjoy!

NOTE: If you want to save some of your crusts for later, you can store in an airtight container in the fridge  for a week or in the freezer for a few months.