PIZZA

Gluten Free life is just not complete until you've found a good Pizza recipe. I've been trying to perfect one for years and I think I'm almost there. I hope you enjoy this as much as we do! This is a modified version of two different recipes found at King Arthur Flour and GlutenFreeGobsmacked.com

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup Gluten Free Flours
2 TBSP powdered milk
1 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp each: garlic powder, fennel seed, and dried basil
1 TBSP sugar or honey
1 TBSP yeast
1 cup warm water
2 TBSP olive oil (for dough)
2 TBSP olive oil (for pan)

1. Mix together GF Flours, powdered milk, baking powder, salt, xanthan gum, garlic, fennel, and basil.

2. In a separate bowl, combine warm water, 2 TBSP olive oil, sugar, and yeast. Add ¼ cup of the mixture from step 1 to the yeast mixture. Stir together and set aside for 5-10 minutes until yeast mixture has risen well.

3. Using a stand or hand mixer, combine wet and dry mixtures on medium speed for 4-6 minutes.

4. Line pizza pan with parchment paper or generously grease. Drizzle at least 2 TBSP olive oil into center of pan.

5. Scrape the pizza dough (This won’t have the consistency of dough! It will be batter like) onto the olive oil pool on the pan. With wet hands, squish the dough out evenly onto the surface of the pizza pan.

6. Bake crust at 425°F for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from parchment paper if desired, but not necessary.

7. Top with your favorite pizza toppings and bake an additional 5-8 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Sourdough Biscuits

My 1st grader went on a field trip today to 'Pioneer School.' They are spending the day having school in a one room school house. Yesterday, a counselor at the school helped the kids make sourdough biscuits and homemade butter to take with them today. Of course, made with wheat flour, so Sidney asked me to make her some sourdough biscuits to take with her. Luckily, I already had some sourdough starter 'started'. If you've never made starter, you should. It's easy (and wierdly fun to 'feed' and 'grow' your own little pet) and is a great and versatile ingredient. There are different kinds of starters. I'm still learning. This one is made with whole milk, yeast, rice flour, and water. It can be made yeast and milk free, though. I will do a separate post about how to start your starter. Today, here's how I made sourdough biscuits. Moist, flakey, and melt-in-your mouth yumminess!


Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup Gluten Free Flour (I used Brown Rice)
8 TBSP unsalted butter, diced
2 TBSP sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp xanthan gum
1cup freshly fed sourdough starter
1/2 cup milk at room temparature

Combine Flour, Sugar, Baking Soda, Salt, & Xanthan gum in a mixing bowl. Cut in butter with pastry cutter (or knives). Add starter and mix. Add milk slowly---just until you've made a soft, but not sticky dough. You may not use all of the milk.

Using a 12 hole muffin tin, divide the dough equally into the tin. Flatten the dough a bit to fit flatly in the hole. Let sit, covered, for about 10 minutes. Preheat Oven to 425 during this time. Bake for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned.