Gluten Free Pizza Everyone Can Enjoy
Many people are finding that a gluten free diet is required for their health or the health of their loved one and this news can seem like a burdensome additional restriction when it comes to cooking for the whole family. The good news is that there are wonderful recipes for the entire family that can be made with the careful exclusion of all gluten ingredients and the results can be a delicious meal with no gluten at all! The best gluten free pizza that is made at home is the one that has a deliciously fresh crust and the ability to customize the recipe to the tastes of the family makes it versatile and enjoyable.
The idea of creating a pizza without the gluten that is found in wheat products may seem complicated, but the truth is that it is a simple matter of replacing the wheat derived flour with flours that are created from different grains. Rice flours are one alternative flour and there are many others that can easily be used to create a crust that is not only as good as the traditional pizza you remember, it may well be much better than what you have had in the past! Other flours include tapioca, brown or white rice. Other ingredients that you may want to consider that will make the pizza crust taste like regular wheat crusts are, Xanthan gum, unflavored gelatin and egg replacer.
There can also be gluten found in other areas of the pizza such as the topping and sauce, and for that reason, it is important to read all labels very carefully before adding anything to your pristine pizza crust. Watch out for pre-shredded cheese which sometimes can contain wheat flour to keep it from sticking together.
Store bought pizza sauces in jars can sometimes contain gluten as can certain meat toppings such as pepperoni. Read the labels! There are some brands that make a point of telling you clearly that they are specifically gluten free. Cheeses for the most part, will be non gluten containing, but there again it can be helpful to read each label entirely and be totally certain.
If you or someone in your family is eating wheat free or has celiac disease, it may be important to also be sure you use separate cooking utensils and even a designated pizza stone that is only used to bake the gluten free items. This will prevent unintentional contamination with gluten.
