Gluten-Free Poured Pizza Crust

I was inspired to create this pizza crust after attending a gluten-free baking class at the Culinary Institute of America. I had tried packaged gluten-free pizza mixes with allergen-free substitutions, and I wasn’t completely happy with any of them. Most of them used yeast and required a rise cycle. They took too long to prepare and were just a little too hard to sink your teeth into. The pizza crust we made in Chef Coppedge’s class also used yeast and still required some rising time, but he did something I had never seen before: He taught us how to form individual pizza slices, using a pastry bag to spread the dough on a baking sheet.

What a novel idea! There was no need for a rolling pin and no mess in transferring the crust to the pizza tin. But I wanted an even simpler pizza crust—one that was shaped like a pizza, didn’t require yeast, and had no rising time—so I developed this one. After all, Friday night pizza should be quick and fuss-free! Recipe from Learning to Bake Allergen-Free: A Crash Course for Busy Parents on Baking without Wheat, Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Soy or Nuts,* copyright © Colette Martin, 2012. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment.

Makes 1 large pizza crust, 8 servings

• 1¾ cups gluten-free flour mix
• ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum (leave out if your flour blend contains xanthan gum)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 tablespoons (½ stick) Earth Balance Natural Shortening, melted
• 1 cup original hemp milk
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• Your choice of toppings (see suggestions)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a pizza tin with olive oil.

Combine the flour, xanthan gum (if needed), salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set it aside.

Combine the shortening, hemp milk, and vinegar in a large bowl, with a mixer on medium-low speed, for 1 minute.

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and blend for 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed.

Pour the batter into the pizza tin. Use a spatula (or the back of a soup spoon) to spread the batter evenly to the edges.

Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.

Remove the partially baked crust from the oven. Use a spatula to gently flip the crust over so that the browned side is now the top. Add desired toppings.

Bake for 12 to 18 minutes more until the toppings are done.

Tips:

• Because this is a batter, this recipe works best if you use a pizza tin with a little bit of an edge— ½ inch will do. If you don’t have a pizza tin, a large cookie sheet or baking sheet with an edge will work.
• While not required, flipping the crust after it is partially baked will allow the crust to bake more evenly and leave it slightly crispy on both sides.
• Try making personal pizzas in round cake pans, and let the kids choose their own toppings.

Topping suggestions:

Keep in mind that it’s not a requirement to have cheese on your pizza. Nor is there a requirement to use tomato sauce, or any of the other traditional ingredients. While there are some cheese substitutes available on the market, a pizza with tomato sauce, veggies, and meats can be very satisfying. You can customize toppings to suit your family’s particular food restrictions. Here are a few to try:

Vegan Pepperoni: This is the classic pizza, without the cheese. Layer tomato sauce, Italian spices, and vegan pepperoni. If you feel the need for a cheese substitute, add Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds.

Greek pizza: Layer sliced tomato, spinach, and olives. Drizzle olive oil mixed with basil over the top.

Veggie pizza: Layer chopped onions, green peppers, red peppers, and mushrooms over a thin layer of tomato sauce. Add a non-dairy cheese, if desired.

Salad pizza: Prepare your favorite salad and serve it over the pizza crust. For this pizza, don’t bake the toppings. Add the toppings after the crust is fully baked.

• Explore more of VegKitchen’s recipes for  Gluten-Free Vegan Baking.
• Sweet tooth still craving? Here are more Vegan Baking and Sweets.

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