Gluten-Free Yeast-Raised Pizza Crust

By
Caroline Russock
Caroline Russock is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Caroline Russock
Caroline Russock is a writer who splits her time between Philadelphia and the Caribbean covering food, travel, leisure, lifestyle, and culture.  Her writing is featured in PhillyVoice, Eater, Eater Philly, Serious Eats, and The Tasting Table. 
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Updated Jul. 22, 2020
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Tina Rupp

Just because gluten can't be a part of your life doesn't mean you have to live without pizza. Our own gluten-free guru Elizabeth Barbone has created a rice flour based Yeast-Raised Pizza Crust that can take on any topping combo without cracking or drying out, the way so many GF adaptations do.

The method here is simple: the dry ingredients are mixed with the wet, rolled out, and left to rise until puffy and ready to bake. To ensure a crisp, sturdy crust, the dough is baked until lightly golden before being topped and finished. This two-part baking plan makes a crust that doesn't collapse under the weight of the toppings.

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What Worked: This yeast-raised pizza crust can stand up to whatever toppings you throw at it, crisping up nicely in the oven.

What Didn't: It doesn't have that tenderness and chew that we like in a pizza crust, but hey, it doesn't have gluten either.

Suggested Tweaks: Top this bad boy with anything your heart desires; it functions well as a flatbread as well, so think outside of the sauce and mozz box.

Reprinted with permission from How to Cook Gluten-Free by Elizabeth Barbone . Copyright © 2012. Published by Lake Aisle Press. Available wherever books are sold. All rights reserved.

Recipe Facts

5

(1)

Active: 15 mins
Total: 60 mins
Makes: 1 inches

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Ingredients

  • Dry Ingredients
  • 2 cups white rice flour
  • 3/4 cup tapioca starch
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast
  • Wet Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup very warm water (120º to 130ºF)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, mix together the wet ingredients with a fork or small whisk until combined. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry. Using a wooden spoon, stir to combine until a dough forms. The dough will be on the dry side. This is normal.

  2. Generously sprinkle your counter with white rice flour. Turn the dough out onto the counter. Knead the dough until it is smooth. If, after kneading for a minute, the dough is still dry and doesn’t hold together, add a tablespoon more water.

  3. Center the dough on a 16 1/2 by 12 1/2-inch piece of parchment paper. Dust the dough generously with white rice flour. Roll out the dough until it covers the parchment paper.

  4. Set a rimmed baking sheet very close to the rolled-out crust. Grab the corners of one of the long sides of the parchment paper and slide the crust into the pan. Do this quickly.

  5. Lightly brush olive oil over the top of the crust with a pastry brush. Cover the dough completely with plastic wrap. Allow to rise at room temperature for 45 minutes, or until dough is light and slightly puffy.

  6. Top and bake as directed. If recipe calls for brushing the crust with olive oil, you can skip that step because the crust is already brushed with oil.

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