Gluten Free Deep Dish Pizza

I realized I hadn't posted in a while, as I had a month long "burn the candle at both ends" to finish my latest novel which is finally off to the publisher.

I have a friend with Celiac, she was down to 90 pounds when it was finally diagnosed, the damage to her intestinal track so bad.  But she is thriving now and I like to try new gluten free recipes to share with her as I don't digest wheat very well, though I've never been tested for the disease.

This one is from King Arthur flour (my favorite flour for all purpose baking) and it's a dandy. Their flour has extra ingredients that keep it from developing the "gritiness" often found in gluten free products, and it has a good shelf life.

1 1/2 cups King Arthur Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour or brown rice flour blend*

2 tablespoons buttermilk powder (found in the grocers baking section) or nonfat dry milk powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

1 tablespoon sugar or honey

1 cup warm water

2 tablespoons olive oil (for dough)

2 tablespoons olive oil (for pan)

*See recipe for this blend below.

 Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the dry ingredients (except the yeast and honey, if you're using it) into a large mixing bowl; the bowl of your stand mixer is perfect. Mix until thoroughly blended.

Place the honey, warm water, olive oil, yeast, and about 1/2 cup of the dry mixture into a small bowl. Stir to combine; a few lumps are OK. Set aside for 30 minutes or so, until the mixture is bubbly and smells yeasty.

Add this mixture to the dry ingredients, and beat on medium-high speed for 4 minutes. The mixture will be thick and sticky; if you've ever applied spackling compound to a wall, that's exactly what it'll look and feel like. Note: you must use a stand mixer or electric hand mixer to make this dough; mixing by hand doesn't do a thorough enough job.

Cover the bowl, and let the dough rest for 30 minutes or so.

Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil onto the center of a baking sheet or 12" round pan with high sides. Scrape the dough from the bowl onto the puddle of oil.

Using your wet fingers, start at the center of the dough and work outwards, pressing it into a 12" to 14" circle.

Let the dough rest, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Bake the crust for 8 to 10 minutes, just until it's set; the surface will look opaque, rather than shiny.

Remove from the oven and top with whatever you like. Return to the oven to finish baking, about 10 to 18 minutes depending on the toppings you've chosen. I used a thin layer of tomato sauce, lots of cheese and some bits of leftover veggie "sausage".

Remove from the oven, and serve warm.

Yield: one 12" to 14" pizza.

*Make your own blend

The following make-at-home blend, featuring stabilized brown rice flour, works pretty well when substituted; and it tastes better than a blend using regular brown rice flour. 

Whisk together 6 cups (28 1/2 ounces) King Arthur stabilized brown rice flour; 2 cups (10 3/4 ounces) potato starch; and 1 cup (4 ounces) tapioca flour or tapioca starch. Store airtight at room temperature. Note: You can substitute white rice flour for the brown rice flour if you like; it'll make your baked goods grittier (unless you manage to find a finely ground version)