Gluten Free Garlic Flatbread

Gluten Free Garlic Flatbread

I've been craving bread lately because I am just one of those people who loves bread. I am also a person who's recently discovered that wheat causes parts of my body to hurt, so I've been avoiding it. I miss bread a LOT. Like a lot. More than a normal person probably. 

So I've had to get creative with making some gluten free options. The Gluten Free French Rolls that my gluten-limited son enjoys so much just don't do it for me. I really love the taste of wheat bread. I thought maybe a thinner, less bready product might work, so I baked up some gluten free pizza crusts, spread garlic butter sauce all over it, and ate. 

It was good. Too good probably. But I don't eat it every day, even though I'd like to. It's a little crisp in places where the dough has been rolled thinner; and it's chewy in places where the dough was a little thicker. The texture and the chew perfectly satisfy a bread craving. Then there's the garlic butter sauce, which I just love--salty, buttery, with a gentle but assertive garlic flavor. Mmm. So good.

If you find yourself having to live gluten free, and you love garlic bread, you have to try this. Really. 

 

Gluten Free Garlic Flatbread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix (recipe below)
• 1/2 cup warm water
• Better Batter Gluten Free All Purpose Flour for dusting
• 2-3 tablespoons Garlic Butter Sauce (recipe below)

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Either place a piece of parchment on a baking sheet, or if you have a baking stone or baking steel, place parchment sheet on what you use as a pizza peel (I use an unrimmed baking sheet).
  Combine the pizza mix and the water. Mix until it reaches the consistency of Play Doh.
• Turn dough out onto work surface that's been dusted with GF flour. Dust the top of the dough and cut dough in half.
• Shape each half into a rough log, about 2 x 5 inches, and then flatten each log (see photo below).
• Working with one piece at at time, roll dough on a well-floured surface to about 3/8 inch thickness.
• Carefully move to parchment lined baking sheet either with your hands or by folding in half, transferring and then unfolding on the pan. If the dough sheet breaks on you, just press it back together; it's pretty forgiving.
• Repeat with other piece of dough and place next to the other flatbread dough sheet.
• Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 30-40 minutes. Using a sharp knife, dock the dough every inch or so (see photo below).
• Place baking sheet in oven (or slide parchment sheet with the dough onto baking stone/steel) and bake at 500 degrees for about 5-8 minutes, or until edges and bubbles start to brown. If you let it go too long, it will turn out more cracker-like than bread-like--still edible, but not as awesome.
• Once flatbread is out of the oven, immediately spread 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of garlic butter sauce over the surface of each. 
• Cut into strips with a pizza cutter and enjoy.
• Garlic flatbread tastes best fresh. I do not recommend saving leftovers for the next day.

Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix
      --Adapted from BetterBatter.org

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Better Batter Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant dry yeast

Instructions:
Mix flour with olive oil until incorporated, and then mix in the salt, sugar, and yeast. Store mix in a sealed zip-top bag in the refrigerator.

Garlic Butter Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Instructions:
Place butter and olive oil in a small saucepan or saute pan over low heat. While butter melts, mince the garlic. Add garlic to melted butter & olive oil. Add salt and pepper. Cook on low for one minute and then turn off the heat and allow to sit until cool. 
Serve with pizza (crust) or hot bread.
Cover and refrigerate leftovers. Use within about 10 days.