I love pizza but unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard the phrases “gluten-free” or “gluten intolerant” being bandied about. About 2% of the population actually has celiac disease but some people may get indigestion when eating foods containing gluten. What inspired me to create these gluten-free mini pizzas is that they are seriously tasty.
Enjoy these recipes
Eggplant Mini Pizzas
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 2 Tbsp milk
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- Olive oil or grapeseed oil for frying grapeseed has a higher heat resistance
- ¼ cup of “gluten-free” flour
- 1 large eggplant rinsed, trimmed and sliced crosswise into ½ inch slices
- 2 medium-size fresh tomatoes chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic chopped
- 1 round of fresh mozzarella cheese
- a bunch of basil
Instructions
- Sprinkle each eggplant slice evenly with salt. …
- Place in a colander over a large bowl or in a sink. Carefully rinse each piece of eggplant under cold water, making sure you remove all the salt. …
- Transfer the rinsed eggplant pieces, a few at a time, to a clean work surface and pat dry with a paper towel. (this procedure takes out the bitterness)
- In a small bowl, beat the egg with the milk and add a little salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour enough olive or grapeseed oil into a skillet until there is approximately ¼ inch of olive oil.
- Dip the eggplant slices into the egg mixture until they’re lightly coated.
- Lightly flour each eggplant slice using gluten-free or regular Shake off any excess.
- Heat the oil until it’s hot but be careful not to burn it.
- Fry the eggplant slices a few at a time on both sides until they are golden brown.
- When the slices are done, place them on paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
- Arrange the eggplant on a baking sheet covered with tin foil.
- Place approx 2 tsp of the crushed tomatoes on top of each slice. (depending on the size of the slice)
- Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on each.
- Sprinkle on chopped garlic
- Place a round slice of mozzarella on top of the tomatoes.
- Place a basil leaf on top of the cheese.
- Sprinkle with grated Parmesan.
- Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes until the cheese has melted and the eggplant slices are tender.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Portobello Mini Pizzas
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp of Olive oil for frying
- 2-4 large Portobello mushroom caps 2 per person
- 1 small can of crushed tomatoes or 2 ripe tomatoes freshly chopped
- 1 large ball of mozzarella sliced thinly smoked or plain.
- 1 bunch of basil
- salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- chopped garlic optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet – be careful not to burn it
- Sear the mushroom caps on both sides for a couple of minutes each.
- Drain the mushrooms on paper towels to remove the excess mushroom water and oil.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with tin foil. (mushrooms contain water and may drip when baked)
- Place the mushroom caps on the baking sheet with the top side up.
- Place 2 tsp of crushed tomatoes on top of the mushroom caps.
- Add salt, pepper, and garlic to taste.
- Place a slice or two of the mozzarella on top of the tomatoes
- Place a basil leaf on top of the cheese.
- Sprinkle with grated Parmesan.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 F.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Why gluten-free may be a good alternative for you
So many people are giving up what we always thought of as health-enhancing grains and going “gluten-free” whether they suffer from celiac disease or not. The truth is, the flour in the US has been tampered with and you have to be careful what types of bread-making products you buy. You won’t find that problem in Italy where you can eat pizza and bread until the cows come home. When I was there, I ate tons of it and never felt bloated.
I used eggplant slices and large Portobello mushroom caps instead of bread dough as the “crust” to make these mini-pizzas gluten-free. To make the eggplant even tastier, I dusted the slices with gluten-free flour before sautéing them in grapeseed oil. If you don’t care whether your mini-pizzas are gluten-free or not, use regular flour. I’m not the gluten-free police. I just want to give you smart eating options.
Add any of your favorite toppings and cheeses to both mini-pizzas. However, if you want them to be “healthy” nix the pepperoni. LOL.
Bake your pizza using a pizza stone for the best results.
Don’t they look yummy!
Using eggplant, mushroom tops, or cauliflower for your mini pizza crust is often a better option because gluten-free flour is often too starchy and may spike your blood sugar levels.
I hope you enjoy these mini pizzas as much as I did making them.
Do you eat gluten-free? What’s your favorite way to make gluten-free pizza? Please leave a comment below.
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