Special Occasion Pizza Crusts

Modified from a recipe I found on allrecipes.com, these are "special occasion" pizza crusts because they not as low in starch as many other pizza crust versions that I make. However, they taste so close to "real" pizza (especially if you crisp the crust in step 5) that even starch and gluten eaters will enjoy them. Don't be intimidated by the ingredient list- they are all worth it.

Special Occasion pizza crusts

Ingredients

3/4 cup gluten-free all purpose baking flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup flax seed meal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon white sugar
1 cup lukewarm water
1 cup warm milk
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 18-inch pizza pan or a sheet pan with parchment paper. Stir the all-purpose baking flour, coconut flour, flax seed, almond meal, baking powder, xanthan gum, Italian seasoning, oregano, salt, and Parmesan cheese together in a bowl; set aside.
2. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of white sugar in the lukewarm water and milk in a small bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over top, and set aside until foamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat the egg in a separate bowl with the olive oil, vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, and the garlic until smooth. Once the yeast is foamy, whisk it into the egg mixture, then stir in the flour until no dry lumps remain. Let rest about 30 minutes.
3. Using a half-cup disher, place about 1/2 cup batter on a parchment lined baking sheet at least 3 inches apart for mini pizzas. Spread onto lined pizza pan for a large pizza.
4. To par bake: Cook in the preheated oven 12-15 minutes for mini pizzas, or 20-25 minutes for a large pizza, until the dough has risen and has slightly firmed. Flip pizza(s) over.
5. Top with your favorite toppings. Once topped with your favorite toppings, continue baking at 350 degrees F until the crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes for a large pizza, or 5-7 minutes for a mini pizza. Remove the pizza from the pan, and cook directly on the oven rack for 5 minutes to crisp crust, if desired.

Makes approximately 12 servings, with approximately 6 grams of starch per serving (excluding toppings)