Gluten Free/Vegan Deep Dish Chicago Style Pizza Crust

Ingredients

• 2 TBS Corn Meal
• 2/3 Cup Gluten Free Bisquick
• 2/3 Cup Tapioca Flour
• 2 TBS Almond Meal (You may also use Milk Powder or Nondairy Milk Powder Instead)
• 1 Tsp Gelatin (OR for a Vegan Crust use: Ground Chia Seeds or 1/2 tsp of Agar Powder)
• 1 Tsp Salt + 1/2 tsp Pepper Salt
• 1 1/2 Tsp Xanthan Gum
• 3 TBS Oil
• 1 1/2 Tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 3/4 Cup Lukewarm Water (Not too hot as it will kill the yeast)
• I packet Yeast (quick Rising) ( or 2 1/2 Tsp yeast from a jar)
• 1 1/2 Tsp Sugar (Any Sugar will work)

Directions

Deep dish Pizza. Something I wondered if I would EVER have the chance of eating again.  Actually- no. I take that back. I didn’t wonder that- because I refuse to think that way. There is ALWAYS ALWAYS a way around food allergies. Always.  It’s just a matter of figuring out how to make it happen..Which is what I LIVE for.

Deep dish pizza crust contrary to logic is actually a thin(ish) crust. The difference of course is that the crust acts almost like a pie crust as it wraps around the sides.  Another difference?  It contains Cornmeal- not a huge amount- but just enough to give its wonderful texture.

I wanted my crust to have a crispy outside layer- but also a slightly goo-ey layer on the inside. and I achieved exactly that with the help of an all star ingredient: Gluten Free Bisquick.  In general I stay away from mixes- I’m not crazy about them as I feel they tamper with my learning process of understanding how everything works. (Which is an endless journey of mine)  Also- except for making cake I’m not crazy about using White Refined Flours. Once in awhile we splurge and this Pizza was a splurge. A WONDERFUL worth every bite splurge.

This recipe makes 1 – 9 inch Deep Dish Pizza. Using a spring form pan works the BEST. Using a Cast Iron Skillet  is possible BUT you will need to to Cook the Pizza longer as it takes a longer period of time for the skillet to warm up. Secondly you will need to heavily douse the skillet with corn meal as the pizza will stick otherwise.

The Traditional Chicago style pizza layers its ingredients a little different than the normal pizza. The cheese goes down first! I recommend you do this as the Cheese and the crust taste WONDERFUL next to each other. Also if you are using a dairy free Cheese Alternative Such as Daiya it does not do the best under direct oven heat- it will work best hidden under the sauce.

After the Cheese- layer in some Italian Sausage (Ground or patties) And then top with your favorite sauce or Diced Tomatoes. A Classic Deep dish pizza is topped with some Parm. Cheese.  Since this was not an option for us- I sprinkled just a little bit more Daiya on the top.

Feel Free to Experiment with the Pizza Filling- we just happen to be especially fond of the classic recipe!

And by the way- the photo above is not mine- It looks very similar to the one I made (a quick shot I took of our pizza is below- my starving  husband wanted to EAT and not wait on a food photo shoot )

ok- Here’s what you do!

1. Preheat oven to 400 Degrees.
2. In a small bowl or cup combine the Lukewarm Water/ Sugar and Yeast. Set aside and allow it to begin to bubble and froth. If it does not bubble -start over as this means either your yeast was dead or your water temp was too hot or too cool.
3. In a Large Bowl Combine the Cornmeal, Bisquick, Tapioca, Almond Meal, Gelatin, Salt, and Xanthan Gum. Mix Well.
4. To this mixture add the Yeast /sugar/water mixture add the Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar . Mix the dough together- it will be sticky.
5. Prepare your pan- Drizzle 2 TBS of Oil into it – using your hands make sure the sides are also covered. Sprinkle in a little additional Corn Meal.
6. Place the Pizza Dough into the Pan- Drizzle a little oil over it and on your hands. Having oily hands will allow you to work the dough into the pan without it sticking to your hands.
7. Gently work the dough out so that it is evenly flat and coming up around the sides (all the way).   Once you have done this drizzle just a little more oil across the top of the crust.
8. Place the prepared crust on your preheated stove- place a towel over it and allow it to rise for 25-30 minutes. It will not rise significantly- just a tiny bit.
9. After this 30 minutes- place the slightly risen crust into the oven and par-bake it for 5 minutes.  Remove from oven and fill with toppings.
10. Place the pizza back into the oven and Bake for 30 minutes (until the crust is done and the pizza is bubbly)
11. Remove from oven and EAT IT!!