Gluten-Free Sourdough Pizza
A Pizza like no other!
A recipe dedicated to the pizza lovers and those who can't live without it but cannot have the real thing or eat out...
Strange isn't it when you say pizza I feel excited — and I'm sure I'm not the only one!
Maybe it's because, as a child, we would have pizza from the food truck once or twice a year and would make the perfect evening together as a family.
It was often associated with some form of reward, whether for doing well on a pop quiz, passing an exam or having done something worth celebrating.
This, indeed, can create a pattern. Food can become addictive for this very reason. Every time you feel like celebrating or need some emotional pick-me-up, you instinctively go for a pizza (or anything else for that matter), even though you may not even be hungry. This is "comfort" food at its best. You're looking to please your brain, to cheer it up so you can feel better about the situation, yourself and perhaps the future. This is also the perfect example of reaching for a “Dopamine High.”
Strangely enough, pizza never quite agreed with me. Even though the word pizza excites me, I am not usually a pizza eater. That is because I feel terrible, and so does my body, for a very long time after eating only a slice. I haven’t had takeaway pizza in over two decades.
Well, things have changed.
I have created the most exquisite pizza, experimenting with various sauces and toppings, all tasting extraordinary. Yet, my body did not make me regret it as I tasted and tried my creations, one piece after the other, after the other...
Actually, it made me happy.
The memories of our family together so long ago, the joy of sharing something exceptional (even if it was pizza and time together as a family).
I made the most scrumptious gluten-free sourdough pizza. Looking like the real thing but tasting a million times better. And now, you can make the same and enjoy the result of my experimentation, experimenting with various sauces and your favourite toppings.
Sourdough base recipe (Updated GLUTEN-FREE Sourdough Bread Recipe)
For the pizza, I've made the dough exclusively using sprouted buckwheat flour, but you can play around with buckwheat and gluten-free brown bread flour proportions to make the perfect taste to suit your tastebuds.
I also used 150 grams of buckwheat flour to flour the working top. You may have to use more or less depending on the dough. As you work it with your hands, it should not stick to your fingers. It may, however, stick to the surfaces but to make it easier, use a scrapper to fold the bottom over the top and flour a little to work it. It should eventually start to feel like regular dough.
For a mess-free option:
Cut a sheet of parchment to the size of your mould (make sure that the edges are also covered).
Use a second sheet of parchment. You don’t necessarily need to cut it to shape, rather you will use it as a cover for your working surface.
Generally oil both sheets with extra virgin olive oil.
Add some dough in the centre of the main sheet and place the cut-to-shape sheet over. Using your rolling pin, evenly flatten the dough to reach the edges. If you have used too much dough or want a thinner pizza base, continue to flatten to the desired thickness, remove the “bleeding” dough from the edges with your finger and mix it back with the rest of the dough.
I found that baking the pizza base for 1o minutes (it should appear dried but not cooked) makes for a crustier and tastier base. Then add a layer of tomato sauce or your favourite sauce and then your toppings.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked.
Scroll down for recipes.
Working the dough
Flattening to desired thickness
Using the rolling pin to flatten the dough
The perfect base
Recipe (makes 4 individual thin-crust pizzas)
+ 150 g extra buckwheat flour for dusting
+ Sauce
+ Toppings
Make the dough using a mixer with the K-beater attachment and leave it to proof for 2-4 hours. Cover the dough with a slightly damp cloth and keep it in a draft-free place, preferably warm (keep inside your oven but it's not necessary to switch it on), you just want the flavour to intensify and the mixture to combine and the starch to expand. You can make the dough in the evening and leave to rest for 24 hours for a much stronger sourdough flavour.
Divide the dough into four even portions, and shape each into a ball (2 balls if you are making a whole tray to share). Rest each ball on a floured top. (see images above)
Using the first ball, roll into a circle using a rolling pin (or use 2 balls to roll into a square if you are making a whole tray to share)
Leave to proof for 20 minutes (preferably 2 hours), covered with a damp cloth.
Bake for 10 minutes, then add the sauce and toppings and bake for 15-20 minutes. you may want to skip this step and add the sauce directly on the raw base.
Remove the pizza from the oven when cooked and rest for 5 minutes, to allow the juices to settle.
Cut the slices and serve.
Vegan Cream & Mushroom Pizza
Recipe (for 2 individual pizzas)
200 ml oat crème fraîche (you can also use rice or soya cream)
3 large Portobello mushrooms (sliced)
1 small courgette
1 handful of cherry tomatoes (cut into halves)
4 tbsp hemp seeds
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Fresh herb (either parsley or coriander) or wild rocket leaves
Slice each mushroom into 1/2-inch thick slices. Dry-fry using a cast iron skillet or flat griddle. Once coloured (about 3 minutes on each side), leave to cool on a plate. Season with a little salt and pepper.
Thinly slice the courgette and quickly cook the slices on a griddle (1-2 minutes each side) or using the same skillet.
Pre-heat fan-assisted oven to 200˚c.
Spread the crème fraîche on top of the rolled dough with a soup spoon. Season with a pinch of salt, pepper and a little oregano.
Sprinkle the hemp seeds over.
Add the toppings. Sprinkle with parmesan (or vegan parmesan. Recipe blow) and a little more oregano.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked.
Dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan sourdough pizza
Vegan Parmesan
Recipe:
1 handful of macadamia nuts
a dozen cashews
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
Soak cashews in a large bowl of water overnight. In the morning, drain and rinse thoroughly.
Using a coffee grinder or small food processor, blitz the nuts. Once near a powder, add the nutritional yeast.
Blitz some more until a fine powder, but do not make a butter.
Sprinkle on top of the pizza as you would parmesan.
Goat Cheese & Mushrooms
with a hint of truffle oil
Recipe (for 2 individual pizzas)
Tomato sauce
250 ml passata
150 ml water
2 medium red onions
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 heaped tsp Herbes de Provence
Salt/Pepper
Toppings
150 g goat cheese (with rind)
3 large Portobello mushrooms (sliced)
1 small courgette
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 handful grated cheese (cheddar, mozzarella or parmesan)
1 tbsp truffle oil
Dice the onions into a brunoise and crush the garlic.
Place in a medium pan with lid on and gently melt over slow-medium heat.
Once the onions appear translucent, add the tomato paste and the herbes de Provence, and stir from time to time until it starts browning.
Deglaze with Balsamic and pour the passata and water. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil, then simmer for 25 minutes until it has thickened a little.
Leave inside the pan to cool.
Slice each mushroom into 1/2-inch thick slices. Dry-fry using a cast iron skillet or flat griddle. Once coloured (about 3 minutes), turn over and then leave to cool on a plate. Season with a little salt and pepper.
Thinly slice the courgette and quickly cook the slices on a griddle (1-2 minutes each side)
Pre-heat fan-assisted oven to 200˚c.
Spread generously the tomato sauce on top of the prepared dough and add all the toppings.
Sprinkle with your favourite cheese(s) and bake for 20 minutes.
Leave to rest for a couple of minutes and sprinkle with truffle oil, cut and serve.
Have you tried our original pizza recipe?
What toppings have you used?
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