Pizza

Pizza has been the long-standing wish for me. Because of the dairy allergy, it makes it much tougher.  However, I have managed to find ways around it. I can’t eat soy cheese, but I did find that I tolerate sheep cheese and pure goat cheese reasonably well. So that sorted the cheese, but how to get a decent crust. I think I found a good one. Let’s just say I really don’t miss Pizza Hut anymore.

Gluten Free All Purpose Pizza Crust

1-½ cups Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour


2 teaspoons Xanthan Gum

½ teaspoon Sea Salt

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

¾ cup Warm Water

1 teaspoon Sugar

1 egg*

2 tablespoons warm water

2 teaspoons Yeast, Active Dry

1 tablespoon thyme, fresh**


1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped**

Combine yeast, sugar and water in a large bowl and let stand about 5 minutes. Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl. Add egg and oil to wet ingredients, then add dry ingredients. Mix with a blender for a minute, adding a teaspoon of water if dough moves up beaters. Scoop onto greased pizza sheet. Wet your hands with water and spread dough over sheet and smooth. Cover with favorite sauce and toppings. Bake at 425°F for 15-20 minutes.

*Eggless Option: Combine 1 Tb Flaxseed Meal + 3 Tb Water. Let stand for 2 minutes, then use as egg.

** I also use dried herbs for this, mostly due to laziness. My usual blend is oregano, thyme, basil and garlic powder.

Pancakes

So I realize I’ve been woefully neglecting this food blog. It’s not that I haven’t been cooking or experimenting. In fact, recently I’ve worked out all sorts of great gluten free/allergen free stuff - pizza, pastys and pancakes. The pancakes are fabulous!! Very light and fluffy. Now we tend to eat with lemon juice and sugar (British way), but feel free to pour on the maple syrup or fruit sauces.

Beth’s Pancakes

¾ cup Gluten Free Flour blend

¼ cup Potato Starch

2 Tbsp. Sugar

2 Tbsp. Baking powder

1 tsp Guar gum

1 Tbsp. Flax seed

3 Tbsp. Warm water


1 cup Dari-free Milk (or whatever milk/milk replacement you prefer)

2 Tbsp. oil

2 lemons

sugar

Mix flax seed and 3 Tbsp warm water in a bowl. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, starch, guar gum, baking powder, and sugar into a bowl. Add milk, oil and the flax seed to the dry ingredients.

Heat a non stick pan up. Pour scoops of batter into the pan. Depending on the size of pancake you wish, use a 1/4 cup to a large scoop. Cook til large bubbles form in the dough, then flip. Cook for about a minute more.

Serve with lemon juice and sugar.