Frugal Gluten-Free Living: Easy Pizza Crust

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This dish rarely has any leftovers at my house. It's the only thing, except when I make gluten free noodles, everyone eats voraciously. From my husband down to my 15 month old, pizza, or calzones are always a hit. Once you get familiar with the recipe, imagine, bread sticks, flat breads, garlic knots... You'll almost feel like you're eating gluten again, (without all those unmentionable nasty side effects). Have fun experimenting. At less than a few bucks a pizza, you'll be able to save up for a wood fired brick oven. Alright, maybe just a toaster oven. Still, it beats the $9 alternative in the grocery stores.

(I'll throw in my favorite sauce recipe because I like your face.)

Thanks, as always, to the gluten free cooking school, for giving me the base to this recipe.

Pizza Crust

• 1 Tbsp yeast
• 1 1/3 cup milk
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 1/3 cup gluten-free all purpose flour mix
• 2 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup (more or less) gluten free corn meal. (I use Bob's Red Mill.)

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Heat the milk using your microwave or a small saucepan, to just above room temperature. Make sure it isn't so hot to burn the yeast. Remember you want it hot, but you should be able to touch it slightly with your finger. Mix in the yeast, sugar and milk in a medium bowl and set it aside.

In your mixing bowl, mix the flour, salt and xanthan gum well. Your yeast mixture should be foaming by now. Add the apple cider vinegar and olive oil to the yeast mixture and then throw it into the flour blend. Mix it well.

I like to use parchment paper because it's easy to roll out and transfer onto the baking sheet. However, it isn't needed. Drop your dough out onto a well floured surface (like parchment paper) and add corn meal. Sprinkle the corn meal liberally as you roll out. Sprinkle it out on the top as well. Roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thickness. Transfer the dough onto your baking sheet and cook it until the dough has a slight touch of golden brown. Throw the sauce on the crust, add cheese and toppings, then throw it back in the oven until the cheese is melted.

Calzone

Follow the directions the same as you would for a pizza crust, except lower the temperature of the oven to 375 degrees. Roll out the dough, in a rectangular shape on your cookie sheet. Add the toppings on half, without the sauce. Fold over the dough and seal the edges by folding them up and over twice. Place the calzone in the oven and cook for about 20 minutes or until the color is an even golden all around. Cut and serve with sauce on the side as a dipping condiment. (My favorite ingredients for this is just mozzarella cheese and prosciutto. Delicious!)

The Sauce

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• ¼ tsp oregano
• ¼ tsp dried basil
• ¼ tsp paprika
• salt and pepper to taste

In a small sauce pan, heat the olive oil and then add your tomato sauce, paste, and all your spices. Slowly simmer until heated through. If you're brave, add some red pepper flakes. Serve as a base for pizzas or a dipping sauce for calzones and bread sticks. Enjoy!

Check out my other frugal gluten-free living recipes