Baking lovers take note: with this gluten-free recipe, you can bake a light and crispy pizza that tastes just like the real thing! So, whether you need to avoid every gluten-containing grain or simply want to try gluten-free, you have come to the right place.
What is gluten
Gluten is essential for bread to rise well during baking. Gluten consists of two groups of proteins: gliadins and glutenins. When making dough, gliadin is important for the viscosity or extensibility of the dough. Nowadays, wheat has been crossbred and refined in such a way that it contains significantly more gliadin. Bakers prefer working with flour that is highly extensible. So when hydrated, gliadins behave as a viscous liquid, which makes the dough stretchable.
Glutenin determines the dough’s elasticity or strength. It is important to have a good glutenin-gliadin ratio. A dough that is too strong, meaning a lot of glutenin, makes it difficult for air bubbles to get bigger. On the other hand, a dough containing too much gliadin can cause the gluten to become too elastic, resulting in a network that is not strong enough to hold the air bubbles.
We now know that gluten forms the “skeleton” of dough and contributes to an open crumb, but gluten is also exactly what causes so many problems for people with celiac disease (an autoimmune disease). This group of people is extremely intolerant to gluten and has to avoid every grain with gluten. For this reason, they choose food products that do not contain gluten and substitute wheat flour for gluten-free flour, such as soy, rice, or almond flour. This group of people is growing with the aggressive gliadin in our modern wheat. It should come as no surprise that more and more people are making a beeline for the supermarket’s gluten-free aisle to purchase gluten-free goods.
Both home ovens and commercial ovens can be used for baking gluten-free pizza, with the key being even heat distribution to cook the crust thoroughly without burning.
Methods
Cold fermentation
Cold fermentation is generally not used for gluten-free pizza dough as it lacks gluten, the protein that benefits from slow fermentation in traditional doughs. Instead, gluten-free dough relies on alternative binders like xanthan or guar gum, which do not require fermentation to perform effectively. However, some bakers might use a brief cold fermentation to improve dough handling.
Tools
To make a gluten free pizza, you need the following tools:
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk/fork
- Kitchen scale
- Dough container
- Plastic wrap or airtight container
- Fridge
- Rolling pin
- Brush
- Pizza steel/pizza stone
- Pizza peel
- Oven
With a clear understanding of gluten’s impact and the necessities for those avoiding it, this gluten-free pizza recipe is your gateway to enjoying a classic favorite without worry. Now, let’s start baking. Click here if you want make pizza dough.
By Safia Abali
Tools
Ingredients
Techniques
