Gluten-Free Pizza Crust and Focaccia Bread Recipes
Dear Reader,
I know this falls very far away from my typical blog posts. However, I have food allergies and intolerances, and I deeply appreciate when others share their wisdom and recipes in this realm. For some time now, I’ve been trying to “give back” in a way by sharing the recipes I frequently use and love on my Instagram stories. But when it comes to pizza crust? Well, after trying many recipes, I took the time to develop my own. And it worked amazingly. The crust tastes good. It’s not dry. There are air bubbles – something not often found in gluten free baked goods!
There was one time, though, when I was playing around with the recipe and added a little too much leavening for John’s liking. However, he suggested that doing it that way could create a flatbread or focaccia, so I decided to try it out! Lo and behold, I was able to adapt my recipe into a focaccia bread.
A stand mixer with the knead attachment is my preferred way of making this. However, it is possible to mix it by hand, as there really isn’t any kneading that has to happen in a gluten free recipe, since there’s no gluten to knead. I just like using the stand mixer better because it’s easier!
So without further ado, here are the recipes for my gluten free pizza crust and gluten free focaccia bread!
Gluten Free Pizza Crust
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups gluten free 1:1 ratio flour (I use King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure)
1 packet dry active yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus a little more for brushing
2 teaspoons baking powder
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Sprinkle yeast over warm water. Add sugar and let stand for five minutes.
Combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Add olive oil and the water/yeast/sugar mixture. Mix well. The dough should be very moist and sticky.
Grease a pizza pan generously with olive oil. Place dough in the middle of the pan, and with well-floured fingers, spread the dough to the edges of the pan. Brush top with olive oil.
Bake crust for 20 minutes, or until crust is lightly golden, and remove from oven.
Add toppings: pizza sauce, cheese, etc.
Bake again for 15 minutes, or until cheese is lightly golden and sauce is bubbly.
Gluten Free Focaccia Bread
Ingredients:
1 packet dry active yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus a little more for brushing
2 1/2 cups gluten free 1:1 ratio flour (I use King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon rosemary
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling on top (optional)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Sprinkle yeast over warm water. Add sugar and let stand for five minutes.
Combine flour, salt, baking powder, and spices. Add olive oil and the water/yeast/sugar mixture. Mix well. The dough should be very moist and sticky.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, or grease well with olive oil. Place dough in the middle of the pan, and with well-floured fingers, form the dough into a loaf shape. Brush top with olive oil, and sprinkle cheese across the top if desired.
Bake bread for 38-42 minutes, or until you can hear a hollow sound when you knock on the top.
