The Joy of Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Baking (11 page)

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Authors: Peter Reinhart

BOOK: The Joy of Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Baking
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Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir to make a smooth batter. Gently fold in the egg whites with a rubber spatula, deflating the egg whites as little as possible to make a smooth, sticky dough that is slightly fluffy (see
Using Texture as a Guide
).
To assemble and bake the focaccia, gently transfer the dough to the prepared pan, then spread it in an even layer with a spatula. Dip your fingers into the herbed oil, then dimple the dough all over the top. Drizzle the herbed oil evenly over the surface.
Bake for 20 minutes, then rotate and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown on top and springy when pressed in the center.
Let the focaccia cool for about 5 minutes before removing it from the pan, cutting it into portions, and serving.
Rosemary and Olive Oil Focaccia
MAKES ONE 9 BY 13-INCH FOCACCIA
This simple, basic recipe uses only one type of flour: almond flour. The rosemary herbed oil is just like the classic version that hails from Genoa and is so often used on traditional focaccias. As the Italians have taught us, simple is good, especially when cooking with high-quality ingredients. This focaccia is excellent by itself or served as a table bread and can also be used as a dipping bread for marinara sauce or herb oil, or for panini filled with your favorite sandwich fixings. You can also add other toppings if you like. (For tips on topping focaccia with cheese, see
Other Pizza and Focaccia Toppings
.)
Rosemary Herbed Oil
¼ cup (2 oz / 57 g) extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Dough
3 cups (12 oz / 340 g) almond flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
½ teaspoon salt
4 egg whites (5 oz / 142 g), at room temperature
1 cup (8 oz / 227 g) unsweetened soy milk or other milk
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat, then mist the bottom and sides with spray oil (preferably olive oil cooking spray).
To make the herbed oil, combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined.
To make the dough, combine the almond flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt in a large bowl and whisk until well mixed.
Put the egg whites in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment at medium-high speed (or a strong arm with a sturdy whisk—and good endurance), beat the eggs for 3 to 5 minutes, until fairly stiff peaks form.
Add the milk to the flour mixture and stir to make a smooth batter. Gently fold in the egg whites with a rubber spatula, deflating the egg whites as little as possible to make a smooth, sticky dough that is slightly fluffy (see
Using Texture as a Guide
).
To assemble and bake the focaccia, gently transfer the dough to the prepared pan, then spread it in an even layer with a spatula. Dip your fingers into the herbed oil, then dimple the dough all over the top. Drizzle the herbed oil evenly over the surface.
Bake for 25 minutes, then rotate and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown on top and springy when pressed in the center.
Let the focaccia cool for about 5 minutes before removing it from the pan, cutting it into portions, and serving.
Olive Oil and Parsley Focaccia
MAKES ONE 9 BY 13-INCH FOCACCIA
Garbanzo bean flour provides a nice, flaky texture, along with a good amount of protein and fiber. The olive oil and parsley topping is simple yet very tasty; however, you can certainly add other toppings if you like. (For tips on topping focaccia with cheese, see
Other Pizza and Focaccia Toppings
.)
Parsley Herbed Oil
¼ cup (2 oz / 57 g) extra-virgin olive oil
1½ teaspoons sea salt or coarse kosher salt
½ teaspoon dried parsley, or 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Dough
2 cups (8 oz / 227 g) almond flour
1 cup (4 oz / 113 g)
garbanzo bean flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
4 egg whites (5 oz / 142 g), at room temperature
1 cup (8 oz / 227 g) chicken broth, vegetable broth, or water
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat, then mist the bottom and sides with spray oil (preferably olive oil cooking spray).
To make the herbed oil, combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined.
To make the dough, combine the almond flour, garbanzo bean flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt in a large bowl and whisk until well mixed.
Put the egg whites in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment at medium-high speed (or a strong arm with a sturdy whisk—and good endurance), beat the eggs for 3 to 5 minutes, until fairly stiff peaks form.
Add the broth to the flour mixture and stir to make a smooth batter. Gently fold in the egg whites with a rubber spatula, deflating the egg whites as little as possible to make a smooth, sticky dough that is slightly fluffy (see
Using Texture as a Guide
).
To assemble and bake the focaccia, gently transfer the dough to the prepared pan, then spread it in an even layer with a spatula. Dip your fingers into the herbed oil, then dimple the dough all over the top. Drizzle the herbed oil evenly over the surface.
Bake for 25 minutes, then rotate and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown on top and springy when pressed in the center.
Let the focaccia cool for about 5 minutes before removing it from the pan, cutting it into portions, and serving.
 
Other Pizza and Focaccia Toppings
The tomato sauce and pesto recipes in this chapter are from Peter’s book
American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza
. That book includes many other recipes and ideas for toppings, and most of them would be great on these gluten-free, sugar-free crusts. We’ll share a few more ideas below, but if pizza is your thing, you might want to pick up a copy of Peter’s book, even if you can’t have the wheat flour crusts. For more on pizza and focaccia, including recipes and videos, also check out
www.pizzaquest.com
, a website hosted by Peter.
Almost any savory ingredient is fair game for a pizza topping. It really comes down to personal preference, so we encourage you to experiment and discover your favorite combinations. The possibilities are genuinely endless. Here are just a few tips.

  
Because the pizza crusts in this book are prebaked, after you apply the toppings they cook for less than 10 minutes. That means you can apply any cheese just before baking the pizza.

  
Because the baking time for focaccia is longer, you need to hold off on adding cheese until shortly before it comes out of the oven. For softer, moist cheeses, such as mozzarella or provolone, scatter 1 cup (4 oz / 113 g) of shredded or grated cheese evenly over the top about 5 minutes before the focaccia is finished baking. For hard, aged cheeses, such as Parmesan or Asiago, wait until the foca­ccia is fully baked, then sprinkle about 1 cup (3.5 oz / 99 g) of grated hard cheese over the top and bake for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the cheese melts.

  
Mozzarella, Provolone, Parmesan, and other Italian cheeses are classic choices for pizza and focaccia toppings, but if you have other favorites or want to experiment, there is only one rule to follow: the flavor rule (that is, flavor rules!). Why not try Cheddar, Fontina, Swiss, or even Monterey Jack? Let your palate (and any dietary restrictions) be your guide.

  
Raw vegetables such as bell peppers, mushrooms, and even onions can sometimes become rubbery or burn when baked on top. To avoid this, first lightly sauté them in olive oil or vegetable oil. Always taste your toppings before putting them on, and adjust the seasonings as you see fit. Sometimes just a bit of salt or pepper can really make the flavors pop.

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