When you just need pizza.

Sometimes...you just need a good slice of pizza. 

Honestly, I have tried many different gluten free options and outside of actual Italy, I haven't found one that compares.

Options?
1. Frozen alternatives
2. Make your own.

Yes, I have done both. There was a time in my life that I would have been absolutely disgusted at the thought of even entertaining the idea of buying a frozen pizza. Yes, I have been a huge food snob. But that was before my free time/grocery shopping time/ time in general has shrunken down to late evenings and bursts of about 10 minutes in between different residency tasks. Busyness has humbled my palate to appreciate some of the perfectly reasonable already prepared options out there. My favourites are:

1. Sabatasso's Cheese Pizza: I usually add dried oregano, sliced tomatoes, chilli flakes and when done, I dowse it in siracha, Bajan hot sauce or tabasco. YUM.

2. Oggi Margherita Pizza: fluffier crust than #1, more filling overall. Add toppings as you wish, cook and enjoy.

But that homemade option? Nothing better. I usually use compliments gluten free flour blend (1:1 substitution) or the recipe below.

DIY flour blend:

volume ratio

1:1:2:3

white rice flour: tapioca flour: potato starch: brown rice flour

Vacation Inspired Italian Thin-Crust Pizza with Pesto(GF)

Crust*

3 cup GF flour blend

4.5 tsp Baking powder

pinch salt

2 Olive oil

1 cup Warm water

Pesto:

3 cloves garlic

3 tsp lemon juice

2 cups fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup pine nuts

2/3 cup olive oil

1/2 cup parmasean (or pecorino)

pinch salt and pepper (to taste)

For the 'za:

Endless proscuitto

Arugula

Cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)

Parmesean or goat cheese

Balsamic vinegar reduction

1. First make the crust. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in standing mix bowl. With the dough hook, slowly add warm water on medium speed. Add olive oil. Pour out onto kneading surface and knead briefly (~1 minute) until well combined. Form into ball and refrigerate for 1hour.

2. Next make the pesto: combine all ingredients into high speed blender. Blend until desired consistency (I think it's nice a little chunky). Refrigerate.

3. Preheat the oven to 350F.

4. Prepare your pizza toppings. Cut cherry tomatoes into halves. Grate parmesean (or other cheese). Reduce balsamic vinegar on stove (heat on medium with intermittent stirring until thickened).

5. Cover kneading surface with more flour. Roll out pizza crust into desired shape, approximateley 1/2 cm thick. Cover with Pesto --> proscuitto-->arugula--> tomatoes. Oven for ~20 minutes or until edges golden brown. Remove from oven and cover with balsamic reduction and sprinkle new parmesean or goat cheese

Buon apetito.