Pizza crust is so easy to make and carb count. Use Tipo “00” pizza flour; which is very finely ground and flavourful. Caputo brand is our favourite, Gluten and Gluten Free. Bread flour will give a New York style crispier crust; All Purpose flour will give a deep dish or Sicilian style crust; Pizza flour will give a Neapolitan style crust – thin in the middle and puffed on edges; Semolina flour will give a slightly sweeter butter yellow crust.
Pizza Crust – Gluten and Gluten Free
It is far more accurate to weigh baking ingredients than to measure in a cup. A good scale will make all the difference. Pizza flour makes a difference as does pizza yeast – which will not “snap” back or rise as much as regular yeast. The carb count for both Gluten and Gluten Free is very close – the difference is in the amount of flour. Gluten Free is far denser, hence using less flour and more yeast/oil.
*A note about Gluten Free Pizza Flour – only use Caputo. I have tried with other brands and the results aren't the same. If you live in Calgary, Lina's Italian Market sells fresh "Gluten Friendly" pizza dough. I use the same CHO as below for the GF Pizza.
Ingredients
Gluten:
- 306 grams Caputo Tipo “00” pizza flour (55 CHO/1/2 cup/80 gr) 206.25
- 1 tsp. (8 gr) salt
- 200 ml (180 gr) warm water
- 1 tsp. (2 gr) pizza yeast
- 1 tsp. (4 gr) olive oil
- 1 TBSP Flour or cornmeal for rolling and 1 TBSP olive oil.
CRUST ONLY:
- TOTAL CHO – 2 CRUSTS ONLY 206.25 CHO
- TOTAL WEIGHT 482.5 GRAMS
- EACH PIZZA TOTAL CHO 103.12 CHO
- EACH PIZZA TOTAL WEIGHT 241.25 GRAMS
- 103.12 CHO DIVIDED BY 241.25 GRAMS = .427 CHO/GRAM
- PIZZA CUT INTO 6 EQUAL SLICES = 17.18 CHO/SLICE
- PIZZA CUT INTO 8 EQUAL SLICES = 12.89 CHO/SLICE
CRUST AND SAUCE PER PIZZA:
- ½ CUP RAO’S PIZZA SAUCE (1/4 cup/63 gr = 2 CHO) 4 CHO
- + TOPPINGS OF CHOICE
- EACH PIZZA TOTAL CHO 103.12 CHO + 4 CHO = 107.12 CHO
- EACH PIZZA TOTAL WEIGHT 241.25 GRAMS + 126 GRAMS 367.25 GRAMS
- 107.12 CHO DIVIDED BY 367.25 GRAMS = .29 CHO/GRAM
- PIZZA CUT INTO 6 EQUAL SLICES = 17.85 CHO/SLICE
- PIZZA CUT INTO 8 EQUAL SLICES = 13.39 CHO/SLICE
Gluten Free:
- 250 grams Caputo GF pizza flour (81.7 CGO/100gr) 204.25
- 1 tsp. (8 gr) salt
- 200 ml (180 gr) warm water
- 2 tsp. (4 gr) pizza yeast
- 2 tsp. (8 gr) olive oil
- 1 TBSP Flour or cornmeal for rolling and 1 TBSP olive oil.
- RAO’S PIZZA SAUCE (1/4 cup/63 gr = 2 CHO)
- + TOPPINGS OF CHOICE
CRUST ONLY:
- TOTAL CHO – 2 CRUSTS ONLY 204.25 CHO
- TOTAL WEIGHT 437 GRAMS
- EACH PIZZA TOTAL CHO 102.12 CHO
- EACH PIZZA TOTAL WEIGHT 218.5 GRAMS
- 102.12 CHO DIVIDED BY 218.5 GRAMS = .467 CHO/GRAM
- PIZZA CUT INTO 6 EQUAL SLICES = 17.02 CHO/SLICE
- PIZZA CUT INTO 8 EQUAL SLICES = 12.76 CHO/SLICE
CRUST AND SAUCE PER PIZZA:
- ½ CUP RAO’S PIZZA SAUCE (1/4 cup/63 gr = 2 CHO) 4 CHO
- + TOPPINGS OF CHOICE
- EACH PIZZA TOTAL CHO 102.12 CHO + 4 CHO = 106.12 CHO
- EACH PIZZA TOTAL WEIGHT 218.5 GRAMS + 126 GRAMS 344.5 GRAMS
- 106.12 CHO DIVIDED BY 344.5 GRAMS = .3 CHO/GRAM
- PIZZA CUT INTO 6 EQUAL SLICES = 17.68 CHO/SLICE
- PIZZA CUT INTO 8 EQUAL SLICES = 13.2 CHO/SLICE
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add warm water, sprinkle yeast on top and add olive oil. Give a gentle stir and add to the flour.
- Stir flour and water until mixed and then knead for 3 minutes. Set aside, uncovered on counter for 15 minutes.
- Knead again 3 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and spread olive oil over dough ball. Place in a clean dish and cover with a damp cloth. Leave to rest on the counter for 3-4 hours or for 8-24 hours in the refrigerator. If refrigerated, let rest on counter 1 hour prior to rolling.
- Place pizza stone, if using on the bottom rack. Pre heat oven to 500.
- Cut pizza dough into 2 equal pieces. Stretch or roll 2 pizzas as thick or thin as desired, using a little flour, cornmeal so that dough does not stick to bread board or pizza paddle.
- Top each with ¼ or ½ cup Rao’s pizza sauce.
- If using a pizza stone, slide pizza from bread board or pizza paddle onto stone.
- If using pizza pan (metal) add 1 TBSP olive oil and spread on pizza pan. Slide pizza on to pan.
- *If using bocconcini, bake crust and sauce for 5 – 7 minutes. Then add bocconcini and bake another 3 minutes. Remove from oven, top with fresh prosciutto and basil.
- * If using peppers, mushrooms, onions, pepperoni etc. add them to the pizza when it goes into the oven.
- Baking time may vary dependent on crust, toppings and oven temperature.
