Gluten Free Pizza

My system is intolerant of the lectin in all grains. I developed a cluster of auto-immune system diseases and was plagued by viruses which were gradually becoming more and more debilitating and dangerous.

Fortunately, a suggested experiment to eliminate all grains has worked and I haven’t been ill for four years now. As you’d imagine, my diet is rather difficult – far more difficult than just being allergic to wheat.

Here’s a great pizza recipe which I’ve worked out. I cook it in my stove top oven, a saute pan.
from Lynne Fairhall

Ingredients:
The base -

1 cup buckwheat flour,
1/2 cup besan (chick pea flour)
1/2 cup potato flour
1 tspn guar gum
3/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tspn dry yeast
small pinch of salt
1 cup lukewarm water.

The topping -
1/3 cup grain free pizza sauce (don’t use too much)
100g (3.5oz) prosciutto, chopped
90g (3oz) each roasted red capsicum and semi-dried tomato
1/2 cup torn basil leaves
1 tub baby bocconcini, each chopped into about four pieces

or a topping of your choice

Method:

Sieve the base dry ingredients together.
Make a well in the centre and gradually add the water to make a soft dough. (Different flours absorb water differently, and the humidity in the air can alter how much water flours absorb, so don’t just tip the whole cup in at once.)

If using the stove top oven, the dough can even be mixed in the pan, thus saving washing up. However, it does enhance the flavour if you make the dough in a separate bowl and spread a little olive oil in the pan first.

Press the dough out to fit the pan or roll out gently onto a pizza tray. Set aside to prove just while you cut up the ingredients for the topping. Add the topping.

If using the Chef’s Toolbox saute pan, put the lid on with the vent closed, and turn the stove hotplate to a medium heat for five minutes. The lid should be warm by this time. Turn the temperature to low and turn the lid to open the vent. Cook for   20 minutes.

The pizza will then just flip out.

If cooking in the oven, cook at about 180deg Celsius (about 350deg Fahrenheit I think)  for about 20 minutes.

It’s so good to be able to eat pizza again!