What are some alternatives to rice flour for pizza dough that are suitable for celiacs with a rice protein allergy?
I’ve recently discovered that I have celiac disease and a rice protein allergy, so I can’t use rice flours. What other flour options are available for making pizza dough and similar bread-like foods?
It’s been six months since I’ve had pizza, and it’s really frustrating. Every “gluten-free” dough I come across contains rice flour. Any recipe suggestions would be greatly appreciated .
You didn’t mention your location, but Maseca masa harina is widely available throughout North America (you can find it at Walmart along with gluten-free sausages, etc.).
Maseca is finely ground white cornmeal that binds well without needing additional ingredients. It typically costs around $0.70 per pound.
For an eight-inch pizza crust, mix 1/2 cup of Maseca with half a teaspoon of baking powder, some salt, a bit of oil, and 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt. Shape the moist dough into a pie on a piece of parchment paper using dampened fingers, add your desired toppings, transfer the entire parchment to the oven, and bake at 450°F for 12 minutes.
Alternatively, you can microwave the shaped dough for a minute, add toppings, and microwave for another minute.
Another good option is chickpea flour combined with tomato sauce.
For a more intricate recipe, you can substitute sorghum for rice flour and omit the commercial baking blend.
As far as I remember, half of the recipes in this microwave baking cookbook use only sorghum flour or cornstarch. You can use 1/4 cup of carton egg whites instead of a fresh egg if you prefer to avoid the taste of eggs.
I bake this sandwich bread in the microwave, and you could substitute all sorghum flour for the rice and sorghum flour mix.
If you only have issues with gluten due to celiac disease and can otherwise tolerate wheat, Caputo Fiore Glut is a blend made with gluten-free wheat starch. Personally, as someone with celiac disease, I really enjoy it. It closely mimics wheat in taste, which is understandable since it contains gluten-free wheat starch. However, many people adopt a gluten-free diet as a shortcut for wheat allergies, and consuming this blend can cause severe reactions for those with wheat allergies or a combination of allergies. For example, my sister-in-law has a gluten allergy (not wheat) and she had no issues with the pizza I made using this blend. I use my Ooni oven whenever the weather allows.
You could experiment with a mix of amaranth, quinoa, and buckwheat (which are gluten-free), or other “ancient grain” flours! These flours absorb more liquid than regular wheat flour, so you’ll need to adjust for that, but they offer a nice wheat-like flavor.
For cauliflower or vegetable crusts, they’re also a good choice! You’ll need a binding agent, and you can supplement with alternative flours or use eggs and cheese for binding.
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