This is my official entry into the "Pizza" TD.
Please accept my official entry titled "This Canuck's Gluten Free Red and White Pizza with Fennel, Blood Orange and Apple Salad".
It's been a while since I made my gluten free thin crust pizza so this TD gave me a great opportunity to make it again. I did the smoke for the "Nuts" TD the night before and had the brilliant idea to throw the ingredients for the tomato sauce into my kamado as it was cooling down. First thing the next morning I took it out and it tasted fabulous. Made fettucini for lunch just to get into that rich, red deliciousness sooner, ate too much and gave myself heartburn. It was worth it, though. I've often thought it would be a good idea to harness the wasted heat after a cook -- this first one is a go! The herbs used in the sauce are greek oregano and bay leaf.
I also wanted to lighten up the rich flavours of the pizza with a fresh salad. Happened to have fresh anise and blood oranges in the fridge and we always have apples. Went surfing and found some ideas. Here are my ingredients. By the time I made the dressing I decided to use fresh squeezed lemon instead of the white wine vinegar.
These photos of blood oranges were taken with Brother Buccs in mind. The photos show two oranges with identical colour on the outside skin yet very different colours within.
Soaked one orange in veggie wash and zested it into the salad. You can see where the 'blood' of the orange dripped onto the counter. These blood oranges were more difficult to free from their segments than regular oranges so I tried two different ways. The second way was easier and faster (cutting the orange in half, freeing the core and popping out the half segments.
Fennel washed, trimmed and roughly chopped. Left cutting the apple and dressing the salad to just before eating.
This is the gluten cookbook I got the recipe from -- called Pat's Thin Crust Pizza. We've bought two of her books for 'from scratch' cooking and so far the recipes have been good. She has more books, some of which use a lot of 'not from scratch' ingredients, so there's a variety to meet the needs of many GF cooks.
I'm including this picture of the potato flour and potato starch. I've seen some confusing signage in bulk stores where I buy it. Potato flour has a pinky-brown colour similar to the colour of a cut fresh potato that is left to oxidize. Potato starch is often called potato starch flour and it is pure white and a little 'squeaky' like corn starch.
I put my yeast in with the dry ingredients as opposed to the recipe that proofs the yeast in warm water before adding to the dry ingredients. I've done it both ways and don't see a difference. The volume doubled in about 30 - 40 minutes.
You will know the 'dough' is right when it looks like frosting. I had a lot of trouble shaping it into a pizza, couldn't remember how I did it the last time. First, make sure you line the pan with parchment paper before putting the dough on. I got nowhere with the silicone spatula and finally put a sheet of wax paper on the dough and pushed it into place with my hands. It helps if you distribute the dough in different spots on the pan when you first turn it out of its bowl. I finally got a glass and rolled it around to smooth the last of it. Try not to have the wax paper on more than you have to, as it takes in moisture the dough will stick to it. Gluten free doughs are really sticky stuff.
I decided to buy my mozzarella in an Italian specialty grocery store. It was expensive but really, really good. I've only had as good or better in a carprese salad in a posh restaurant.
My red and white ingredients are double smoked Hungarian sausage, white onions sauteed in the fat rendered from the sausage, white mushrooms, red peppers, smoked red tomato sauce and white mozzarella. I fried each ingredient separately to get the right amount of caramelization for each.
A nice spread on the pizza crust. I prebaked the pizza crust about 13 minutes in the kamado and then pulled it out to add toppings.
Pizza's in the smoker and it's time to finish the salad. Added the chopped apple, olive oil, a touch of dead sea salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh squeezed lemon.
Look what's in Dragona's fiery belly!
Finished pizza.
Please use the photo below for voting.
And the finished fennel, blood orange and Ida Red apple salad.
This was a really delicious pizza. It was very rich and flavourful and the fresh fennel salad and its acidity complemented it well.
Thanks for looking!
