MARCH OF THE PIZZA CRUSTS

As noted here last week, Newsday food writer Erica Marcus had trouble finding a good gluten-free pizza crust. This week she channels advice she received from across the country. The recommendations include this recipe from Gluten Free Mommy.

And now at MSNBC.com, Epicurious offers an "ultimate gluten-free guide", that, while surely not "ultimate" by any definition of the word, also includes this gluten-free pizza recipe from Zoe Singer.

Photo: David Marc Fischer

WANTED: GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA DOUGH RECIPE

Do you know a recipe for excellent gluten-free pizza dough?

Luanne Alese of Shoreham, Long Island, wrote to Newsday (March 19, 2008) hoping to find a recipe for gluten-free pizza dough. Food writer Erica Marcus went to celiac.com and ate up a bunch of recipes—but only with her eyes, it seems. She wrote

The bottom line is that bread made without wheat - hence, without gluten - is never going to approximate the real thing.

I found quite a few bread / pizza crust recipes at celiac.com and, in addition to nonwheat flours made from rice or tapioca, they all called for thickening agents such as guar gum, xanthum gum or gelatin. It's hard to believe that the results are going to be very pizza-like.

Instead of searching in vain for a decent wheat-free pizza, I'm going to suggest you dig into the world of global flatbreads....

So what do you think? Is it futile to search for an excellent gluten-free pizza dough recipe?

If you have a recipe, feel free to let Erica Marcus know by leaving a comment or emailing her here, or by writing to her at

Erica Marcus, Food/Part 2
Newsday, 235 Pinelawn Rd.
Melville, NY 11747-4250