Have you noticed all the gluten-free pizza parlors popping up in major cities lately? I have, and pizza makes me incredibly excited! The end result of my version is simple and traditional—tomatoes, garlic, and a little basil atop a thin crust—even if the crust’s instructions do take some careful minding. Above all else, be absolutely sure to get the finest tomatoes you can find. If you must (and often I must), throw some cheese on top and start piling on as many vegetables as you like—just make sure to roll your dough a little thicker to bear any extra weight. For you traditionalists out there, I have included a time-tested tomato sauce (page 90) as well.

　　

Ingredients

makes 9 squares

　　

For the Crust

1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour

　　1/2 cup brown rice flour

　　1/2 cup sorghum flour

　　1 tablespoon baking powder

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

　　6 tablespoons melted refined coconut oil or canola oil

　　1 tablespoon agave nectar

　　1 garlic clove, minced

　　1 cup cold water

　　

For the Topping

4 tablespoons melted refined coconut oil, canola oil, or high-grade olive oil

　　5 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced

　　4 garlic cloves, minced

　　2 teaspoons salt

　　1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

　　1/2 cup cornmeal, for dusting

　　Handful of torn basil leaves

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

　　

Step 2

To make the crust, in a medium bowl whisk together the flours, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum. Add the coconut oil, agave nectar, garlic, and cold water and mix with a rubber spatula until a thick dough forms. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

　　

Step 3

To make the topping, in a medium bowl stir together 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil, the tomatoes, garlic, salt, and chili flakes and stir to combine. Set aside.

　　

Step 4

Dust a clean work surface with the cornmeal. Place the dough onto it and sprinkle the top with some of the cornmeal. Roll the dough out into a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and trim any excess dough from around the edges. Brush the dough with the remaining 3 tablespoons coconut oil. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and arrange the tomato mixture on top. Sprinkle with the basil. Bake until the vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes more. Cut into nine squares.

　　Reprinted December 9, 2011, with permission from Babycakes Covers the Classics by Erin McKenna, © 2011 Clarkson Potter. Buy the full book at Penguin Random House, Amazon, or Bookshop.