Spicy Gluten Free Pizza

Spicy Gluten Free Pizza

Pizza is a wonderful thing but even the simple things can be altered to add a bit if a kick. This recipe does just that by adding some spice to the traditional pizza.

This pizza does not have to be overloaded with toppings since the tomato sauce is so appetizing. 

Ingredients:

Tomato sauce

1 red onion

1 teaspoon chopped ginger

1 chilli

1 tin chopped tomatoes

4 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Pizza dough

1 cup rice flour
2/3 cup potato flour
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1 teaspoon fast action dried yeast
1 teaspoon xanthum gum
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon caster sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
215 ml hand hot water

Toppings

Anchovies in oil
Pitted Olives
Jalapeno peppers
Lactose free cheese
Olive oil to drizzle
Ground black pepper

To prepare the topping pour a tablespoon of olive oil into a large pan over a medium heat. Puree the red onion in a mini processor and add to the pan together with the chopped ginger. Sweat the onions for a few minutes stirring occasionally to stop the onion catching.

Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme, salt and pepper and leave to simmer for 15 minutes or until the sauce is thickened. Leave to one side to cool down.  

To prepare the pizza dough, add the flours, yeast, xanthum gum, salt, sugar and olive oil into a large mixing bowl. Mix briefly with your hands and then gradually add the hot water until you have a dough. Do not knead for too long as you are not working any gluten. 

Dust some cornflour onto a clean surface and add the dough to form a ball. Dust the top of the dough and a rolling pin. Roll the dough, turning at 45 degree angles every so often and upside down until you have a thin dough. 

Place the dough on an oiled tray and cover with an oiled piece of cling film. Leave in a warm place for at least 20 minutes to allow the dough to rise. 

Preheat the oven to 220C/fan 200C. 

To assemble the pizza, spread the tomato sauce evenly on top of the dough, arrange the anchovies, olives, jalapeno peppers and grated cheese on top and drizzle with a little olive oil and add some pepper.  

Pop into the hot oven for 15-18 minutes. Cut into slices and enjoy. 

Sweet potato and turnip doughnuts

I have a sweet jaw, not just a sweet tooth, but I am mindful of the wisdom of enjoying things in moderation. Judging by my posts, you may be fearing that I eat mainly sweet things. So I decided to redress the balance. If I had two blogs the other one would be called 'No More Rice Cakes!' So in honour of the blog that time does not permit, I will label all savoury recipes under this name.

Looking around the fridge I only really had a turnip and sweet potato so I decided to make a variation on a popular Indian street food called vada. They are essentially spiced balls cooked in a batter. Even though they sound sweet, they are deliciously light and spicy.

Sweet potato and turnip doughnuts

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato
1 turnip
2 garlic cloves
1cm ginger
1 tsp asafoetida
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander
1 chilli

50g gram flour
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
50ml water

Method:

Peel the sweet potato and trim the turnip and cut into wedges. Boil for about 25 minutes until soft. In the meantime, chop the garlic, ginger and chilli.

Heat some oil in a saucepan and add the garlic, ginger, chilli and cook for 1 minute over a medium heat. Add the asafoetida, ground coriander and turmeric and cook for another 4 minutes remembering to stir. Take off the heat and keep to one side.

Drain the sweet potato and turnip and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the spicy garlic mix, some salt to taste and using a electric whisk, mix together until you have a smooth puree. Take tablespoons of the mix in your hands and shape into balls. Place on a plate and put in the fridge for 45 minutes to cool down and set.

In the meantime, prepare the batter mix by placing the gram flour, bicarbonate of soda and cumin seeds into a bowl and stir in the water.

Heat some vegetable oil in a small pan 5 minutes before taking the sweet potato balls from the fridge. When the oil is hot, place one sweet potato ball at a time and add to the batter to coat all around. Use a tablespoon to do this. Add each ball to the oil, perhaps three at a time, and cook for about 2 minutes on each side.

Drain on some kitchen paper and enjoy the doughnuts with your choice of chutney or ketchup.