This gluten free thick crust pizza is incredible, and it took a lot of trials to get right. Some people prefer our Gluten-Free Thin Crust Pizza, while others prefer this crust, which is slightly chewy, cheesy and fragrant with herbs; for this one, we chose oregano, basil and garlic, but you can any you desire. NOTE: The recipe may be doubled but make two individual pizzas, not one big one.
BREAD RECIPE HELP / GLUTEN-FREE RECIPE HELP
Kelly Says: “I served this to my family for dinner and they had no idea it was gluten-free.”
INGREDIENTS
Crust:
1 cup tapioca flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons whole or 2% milk
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup olive oil (extra virgin is best) and more, if needed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, slightly beaten; not optional
pinch of dried oregano, optional
pinch of dried basil, optional
1 garlic clove, put through a press, optional
1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese(you may also use Romano or asiago, or a combination); not optional
Toppings:
1/3 cup tomato sauce or Sarah Phillips’ No-Cook Zesty Tomato Sauce
2/3 cup shredded pizza blend cheese(mozzarella cheese, cheddar and asiago)
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
Pinch of dried oregano
1/3 cup cubed pepperoni
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the pizza dough:
1. Place tapioca flour and baking powder in a medium bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
2. Combine the milk, water, olive oil and salt in a small bowl.
Stir to combine.
NOTE: Do not heat the liquid ingredients for the thick crust pizza, like you do for the thin crust pizza. We want to save the oomph of the baking soda for the oven!
3. Pour the milk mixture over the tapioca flour mixture.
Stir until a cohesive mass is formed. The mixture will be stiff. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 5 minutes.
4. After 5 minutes, add the egg and stir briskly, until combined.
5. Stir in the oregano, basil, and garlic.
6. Add the parmesan cheese, stir until combined. The dough will be like thick pancake batter at this point.
7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator.
Chill for at least 2 hours. During this refrigerator rest, the tapioca flour in the batter will absorb the liquid ingredients and stiffen.
Do NOT skip this step!
Roll the pizza dough and pre-bake:
1. After the dough has been in the refrigerator for 1 1/2 hours, place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of your oven.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. After the two hour chill is over, remove the dough from the refrigerator.
Place a square of parchment on your work surface.
Scrape the dough out of the bowl, and place it in the center of the parchment square.
3. Pour a little olive oil into your hand and rub it all over the palms of your hands.
4. Pat the dough out with your hands, maintaining an even, round shape.
5. Then place a piece of plastic wrap on the crust and roll it out to a 10-inch circle.
The dough should be about 3/16-inch thick. Even though the crust is rolled out thin, the baking powder in the dough will cause it to puff up in the oven.
6. Remove plastic wrap and use your hands to push the outer edge of the crust in a little, to form a slightly thicker rim.
Use finger tips to further flatten the center of the crust and build up the edge.
7. Slide parchment onto a Baker's or Pizza peel, or an upside down baking sheet, and place the crust onto the preheated pizza stone.
8. Bake crust for 12-14 minutes, until the edges of the crust just start to brown.
Remove the crust from the oven. Do NOT turn off the oven.
Top the pre-baked crust. Final bake:
1. With the pizza crust still on the Baker's peel, spread tomato sauce evenly over the surface, leaving about a 1/2-inch outer rim unsauced.
NOTE: the browned dots on the crust are from the cheese in the dough. If you use very finely grated cheese, the browned dots will not be as pronounced, but each little dot is a yummy nugget of browned cheese. Delicious!
2. Sprinkle on the shredded pizza blend cheese.
3. Using a Baker's peel, slide the pizza back onto the pizza stone and bake for 6 to 7 additional minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
SERVE
This pizza is best served right away, while nice and hot.
STORAGE
If you have left-overs, reheat it in a covered lightly oiled skillet for a couple of minutes.
