Gluten-free pizza

Preparation time                          Cooking time                                        Serves
over 2 hours                             30 mins to 1 hour                              Makes 2 x 25cm/10in pizzas

Gluten-free pizza can be simple to make. Once you've got the ingredients, you can have it all the time. The pizza toppings are quite spicy with pepperoni and jalapeños, but if that's not your style, just pick your favourites.

Once you’ve mixed the pizza dough there’s no need to knead – just leave it to rise for an hour or so. It won’t look like a traditional pizza dough, but don’t worry – it works!

Ingredients

For the pizza base

• 300g/10½oz gluten-free plain flour
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1 x 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 300ml/½ pint warm water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp wine or cider vinegar

For the topping

• 125g/4½oz mozzarella
• 4 tbsp passata
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 10 black olives, pitted and halved
• 2 tbsp pickled jalapeños slices, drained
• 16 slices gluten-free pepperoni or other sliced meat
• 4 tbsp roasted red peppers, sliced
• good pinch dried oregano
• 2 handfuls rocket leaves or 10 fresh basil leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. For the pizza base, tip the flour, flaxseed, yeast, xanthan gum, baking powder, sugar and salt into a large bowl and mix.
2. Add the warm water, oil and vinegar and, using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, beat well for 1–2 minutes. The mixture will not look like regular pizza dough but more like soft mashed potato at this stage. Cover the bowl with cling film or a clean tea towel and leave in a draught-free place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
3. Cover two large baking trays with baking paper and scoop half of the pizza base mixture into the middle of one. Using a rubber spatula or palette knife, spread the mixture into a neat 25cm/10in disc. Repeat with the remaining mixture on the second baking sheet. Set aside for 45 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 220–230C/200–210C Fan/Gas 7–8. Place a heavy baking tray on the top shelf of the oven to heat up.
5. Prick one pizza base a few times with a fork. Using the baking paper, slide the base carefully onto the hot baking tray. Cook for 9–10 minutes, or until starting to turn golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and cook the second base in the same way, ensuring the tray is hot before sliding on the second base.
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
7. Pat the mozzarella dry on kitchen paper and tear into small pieces. In a small bowl, mix together the passata and tomato purée and season with salt and pepper.
8. Spread the tomato mixture over the pizza bases, leaving a 1cm/½in border all around. Scatter over the mozzarella, olives and jalapeños and arrange the pepperoni and strips of roasted red pepper on top. Season with black pepper and a pinch of dried oregano and cook each for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and starting to brown.
9. Scatter with rocket or basil and serve immediately.