Need tips and tricks for finding good gluten free pizza? Then you’re in the right place.
If you’re gluten-intolerant, or just avoid gluten for dietary reasons, you’ll know how hard finding gluten free pizza alternatives that are just as tasty as their glutinous originators can be. Gluten free pizza doughs are often dry and flavourless, the taste and texture being more reminiscent of dried beans instead of pizza dough.
As such a universally loved food, and a food that often gives people so much joy, no one should have to miss out on the deliciousness of pizza, even those who are gluten intolerant. But you also shouldn’t have to sacrifice the quality of pizza just because your diet is gluten free. So, what makes a good gluten free pizza dough and where can you find it?
What is Gluten and What Does It Do In Pizza Dough?
Gluten is a family of proteins which are found in wheat, rye, spelt and barley, though by far the most commonly consumed form of glutinous grains is wheat. It’s what makes flour and therefore is what can be found in most pizza doughs.
If you’ve ever made pizza dough, you might have noticed that the more you knead it the more the dough it able to stretch. This is because when you add water to wheat flour, the gluten proteins form a network, giving the dough a glue-like consistency. At first the gluten proteins are all mangled and misshapen, in no particular order, but when you knead the dough they start to line up and form chains of amino acid. Kneading the dough and working the gluten in this way is what gives the pizza base its trademark delicious light and chewy texture.
Since it’s gluten that gives a traditional pizza dough its best characteristics, making a gluten free pizza that is just as delicious and doesn’t have a dry and cardboard-like taste and texture can be quite a challenge. That’s not to say that it’s impossible, however. It just takes a bit more thought and care.
What Are the Characteristics of a Good Gluten Free Pizza?
Not Too Dry
Anything gluten free, whether it be pizza, bread, or pasta, is often known for being dry and tasteless. This dryness means that when the gluten free dough mixes with your saliva it creates a glue-like paste in your mouth – an unpleasant taste and feeling that’s pretty much impossible to get rid of.
A good gluten free pizza is made with a little extra moisture when baked so that it doesn’t dry out in the oven, especially since gluten free foods often have to be baked longer than their glutinous counterparts. Otherwise, the end result will resemble cardboard rather than pizza dough.
Chewy and Soft
Many gluten free pizza bases seem to be more like biscuits rather than pizza dough. They often crumble and have none of the stretch and chew that a traditional pizza has. Or, sometimes, gluten free pizza doughs go too far in the other direction and become gummy or rubbery. Finding a happy medium can be tough, but with the right proportions of ingredients it can be achieved.
The Right Amount of Crispy and Soft
For a lot of people, the ideal pizza has crispy edges, a crispy bottom and an ever-so-slightly soggy top. A lot of this texture in a traditional glutinous pizza base comes from the bubbles that are trapped in the dough from the yeast during the proofing process. Gluten free dough, on the other hand, isn’t able to trap these bubbles very well. Often, the solution is to add baking powder to a gluten free dough, which allows the dough to rise a tad in the oven and results in the perfectly chewy and crispy pizza base everyone longs for.
The Gluten Free Pizzas at 11 Inch Pizzas
We have the best, high quality gluten free pizza bases (will contain small amounts of gluten) that have been tried and tested over and over again to ensure they are just as delicious as our regular pizza dough. Our goal is to share the joy of pizza as far and wide as possible, no matter what your dietary requirements may be. Whether you want to dine in at out restaurant on Little Collins Street, or want to have a night in with our gluten free pizza delivery service, we can cater to your desires.
Get in Touch with Us
Next time you’re looking for the best gluten free pizza (note: finished pizza contains minimal amounts of gluten) in Melbourne, visit us or get in touch:
- Call us on: 9602 5333 or 9602 5777
- Make a reservation online
- Order online
- Visit us at Collins 7A/353 Little Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
We’re open from 11am to 9:30pm on weekdays, 5pm to 9:30pm on Saturday and 5pm – 9pm Sunday.
