This is our fourth of six gluten-free recipes we’re featuring from Alex
Thomopoulos of Gluten-Free with Alex T. This week, Alex shows us her secret to
the perfect gluten-free flatbread pizza! While your pizza is baking,
check out her Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Gnocci, Chocolate Chip Cookies,
Southwestern Frittata and our Interview with Alex!
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Drawing on her training as a private chef and her personal experiences living with celiac disease, Alex serves up an array of gluten-free dishes and provides easy-to-follow tutorials that you can watch from the comfort of your own kitchen! Best of all, she’ll keep you smiling, as she incorporates her her background in stand-up comedy into every video and blog post. For more delectable recipes (and laughs!) visit her blog, Against The Grain, and her hit web series, Gluten Free With Alex T on the
food-centric YouTube channel HUNGRY.
Gluten-Free Flatbread Pizza
with Pesto, Homemade Ricotta, Arugula and Parmesan
Homemade Ricotta
3 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Combine milk, half and half, and salt in a medium saucepan over
medium-low heat. Slowly heat the mixture to 190F using a candy
thermometer, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. Remove the
saucepan from the heat and add the lemon juice, stirring once or twice to
just combine. Let the mixture sit for 5-7 minutes.
Line a colander with a few layers of cheesecloth and place it over a large
bowl. Pour the separated milk mixture through the colander and let the
curds strain for at least an hour. After the curds have strained remove the
fresh ricotta to an air-tight container and refrigerate up to 4 days.
Pesto
1 1/2 cups fresh basil
1 cup fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
In the bowl of a food processor combine all the ingredients except the olive
oil. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped. With the motor running, slowly
add the olive oil and mix until smooth. Place in an airtight container and
refrigerate until ready to serve or up to 1 week.
Gluten-Free Flatbread
1/4 cup gluten-free cornmeal
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour blend, (recipe below)
3/4 cup tapioca flour, plus more for rolling dough
2 tablespoons dry buttermilk powder or dry powdered milk
1 teaspoon agar-agar powder or unflavored gelatin powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum **
1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil, plus additional to brush dough
Salt and pepper
4 sprigs thyme, leaves removed
2 cups arugula
Parmesan cheese shavings
Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and
sprinkle with gluten-free cornmeal.
In a small liquid measuring cup stir to combine the lukewarm water,
yeast, and sugar. Let the mixture stand for 5-10 minutes, until the yeast
starts to foam.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment thoroughly
combine the flour blend, tapioca flour, dry buttermilk powder, agar-agar,
salt and xanthan gum. With the mixer on low speed add the vinegar,
olive oil and yeast mixture. Turn the mixer up to high and mix dough 3-4
minutes. If the dough is dry and not coming together add up to a 1/3 cup
additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough just combines.
Remove dough to a large clean surface that is dusted with tapioca flour.
Roll the dough to 1/8-inch thick and approximately the size of the sheet
tray. Transfer the dough to the parchment paper sprinkled with gluten-
free cornmeal. Brush the dough with olive oil, season with salt, pepper
and thyme leaves. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the dough is
completely cooked through, and the edges have become crisp and golden
brown.
Remove the flatbread from the oven. Spread an even layer of pesto over
the flatbread, top with ricotta, arugula, and Parmesan shavings.
**Note: If you are using a different all-purpose gluten-free flour blend than
the recipe below check to see if the recipe contains xanthan gum. If the
recipe does not contain any xanthan gum add 2 teaspoons to this recipe
instead of 1 teaspoon.
Alex’s All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour Blend
3 1/2 cups brown rice flour
1 1/2 cups sweet rice flour
1 1/3 cup tapioca starch
1 cup sweet sorghum flour
2/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup potato starch (not potato flour)
4 teaspoons xanthan gum
In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk to combine all the ingredients. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
Yield: 8 cups
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Natalie Duggan is a Junior at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, pursuing a dual degree in Global Health and Journalism. Since her Celiac Disease diagnosis in 2011, she has enjoyed recipe development and helping others navigate the gluten-free lifestyle. Check out her photography portfolio on Flickr and her gluten-free pins on Pinterest.
