Crunchy Tomato Rings, Pea & Kale pesto on Soft White Gluten-free Pizza Crust. glutenfree gumfree vegan recipe

Vegan Pizza Mofo post 19.
I wanted to make a simple white airy gf crust. The day I made the pesto and tomato rings, I had run out of Tapioca starch. So I powdered some Tapioca Pearls into fine powder and used that instead. The resulting crust was not that airy, but soft anyway and no cracks or dryness. So I decided to click a few pictures. In this super busy month, I managed to make another version of the crust which is super airy and was hoping to make a larger pizza with the tomato rings again, but since we are almost out of time, I decided to post this mini pizza. 🙂

The airier crust is white rice, brown rice and tapioca starch. Few ingredients and you get a chewy pillowy crust similar to a regular white chewy crust. You wont miss the gluten in this one too. This second crust is topped with some cherry tomatoes, green chili slices and daiya mozzarella.

Sending thoughts and prayers to all the East Coast affected by the hurricane.



Look at them holes!

I gave Veggie Grill in Seattle another try and I just dont like it. I think with the way my diet transition is going, I generally prefer healthier and whole foods more than soy protein fake meats, super fried things and such. Though I love some sweet potato fries once in while, I can only indulge in 7 or 8 fries before I start feeling all oily inside. My husband likes it though. He doesnt mind the fried chick’in sandwiches, fries and carrot cake. That chick’in patty is so close to the real thing, that it grosses me out. It is an interesting development. I dont get grossed out by cheese substitutes though, so it seems to apply only to meat substitutes that feel exactly like meat. I’d rather eat a bean patty or tempeh patty. 



Tomato slices are dipped in flax egg mixture and then in herbed crumbs. The rings are crunchy on the outside and hot and soft on the inside. They are less crunchy than onion rings.  The Peas and greens in the pesto work together to give it a brighter green hue and it works very well with the tomatoes.
You can use other Gf crusts like this Oat Focaccia crust or the Teff crust, or regular  Wheat crusts posted this month 🙂

Steps:
In a bowl, mix warm water, yeast and sugar. Let sit for 10 minutes or until frothy.
In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients to combine well.
Add the dry ingredients, evoo to the yeast mixture and mix into a smooth thick batter.

(Airy crust)


Cover bowl with towel and let rise for an hour.



Gather and Spoon batter onto parchment lined sheet.
Pour a teaspoon or so evoo on top and using your hands, pat the batter into desired shape.



Spray water liberally on top and especially on the edges.
Let the batter rise in a warm place for 10-15 minute.
Cover the sheet lightly with foil without touching the batter.( to capture some of the moisture/steam that escapes from the crust)
Bake in pre-heated 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove crust and top with pesto.
Dip the tomato slices in flax egg mixture and then in the rice flour or bread crumb mixture. Place tomato rings on top. 

(Airy crust topped with cherry tomatoes, chili slices)


(Tapioca pearl crust topped with pesto and Tomato rings)



Add some daiya mozzarella or vegan cheese shreds of choice.
Bake for another 6-7 minutes.
Take out, let cool for half a minute. slice and serve.





Crunchy Tomato Rings, Pea and Kale pesto on Soft White Gluten-free Pizza Crust
Gluten, dairy, egg, corn, soy free

Ingredients:
Crust
1/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon active yeast
2 teaspoons sugar

Crust with Tapioca pearl flour:
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour( made from tapioca pearls)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon flaxmeal
2 Tablespoons water (more)
1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil or other herbs
2 teaspoons evoo

Airy White Crust: 7.5 inch crust
1/4 cup white rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
2 Tablespoons brown rice flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon dried or fresh basil or herbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

Toppings:
Pea and Kale Pesto:
Blend the following into a smooth pesto
1/4 cup green peas
1 large kale leaf, chopped
1 teaspoon evoo 
few teaspoons water
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
a generous pinch salt

Tomato Rings:
Tomato slices
2 flax eggs – 2 Tablespoons flaxmeal mixed in with 5 Tablespoons water
Mix Rice flour, salt, herbs, black pepper to coat
or use oat flour or gf breadcrumbs

Method:
In a bowl, mix warm water, yeast and sugar. Let sit for 10 minutes or until frothy.
In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients to combine well.
Add the dry ingredients, evoo to the yeast mixture and mix into a smooth thick batter.
(the crust can easily be doubled. the batter should be smooth and wet somewhat like pancake batter, but not stiff)
Cover bowl with towel and let rise for an hour.
Gather and Spoon batter onto parchment lined sheet.
Pour a teaspoon or so evoo on top and using your hands, pat the batter into desired shape.
Spray water liberally on top and on the edges.
Let the batter rise in a warm place for 10-15 minute.
Cover the baking sheet lightly with foil without touching the batter.( to capture some of the moisture/steam that escapes from the crust)
Bake in pre-heated 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
Remove crust and top with pesto or other toppings of choice.
Dip the tomato slices in flax egg mixture and then in the rice flour or bread crumb mixture. Place tomato rings on top. (or use plain fat tomato slices)
Add some daiya mozzarella or vegan cheese shreds of choice.
Bake for another 6-7 minutes.
Take out, let cool for half a minute. slice and serve.

Did you know that Brad Pitt follows a Vegan diet. I didnt. Now if only someone made a go vegan with me ad with him where he looks all good and speaks about the benefits and how to transition to a plant based diet.. he might sound more interesting in that than his Chanel ad 😉

Even though I try to stay way from attaching the diet to one particular person, it never hurts the movement to have good looking well known spokesperson. 🙂 Aamir Khan, please see 🙂