Food has a funny history in my family, or families, I should say. My dad is a steak and potatoes kind of guy. He can and will eat anything. But I grew up with my mom. Our eating likes, dislikes, and allergies make for a more interesting endeavor at a meal. Lucky for me, my mom has always been a good, adventurous cook.
Mom eats meat. I stopped at 13. She won’t eat fish, so I never did. Call it a texture thing; I’m weird about segmented foods. Sis came along when I was nine and a half. When she started gnawing on teething biscuits, mom realized they were both allergic to gluten. We’re all okay with eggs, but I only accept them in baked goods. More recently, I’ve realized I’m allergic to dairy.
When we get together, we eat a lot of rice, avocado, corn, and beans. Mexican food is a forever favorite. We can all agree on chocolate, but it doesn’t exactly make a meal.
One of my favorite experiments from the early years was mom’s rice cake pizza, which later morphed into polenta pizza. A few years back, she topped herself with this recipe. You can make it plain or add toppings to it like any focaccia. If you eat cheese, tuck some of your favorite shreds or slices into this deliciousness before you pop it in the oven. Mom and sis chomp it that way. And holy moly, if you have Maldon salt, use it.
Gluten-free Focaccia
Serves 2–3
Wet Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup unsweetened yogurt (soy’s fine)
- 1 tablespoon of water
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 teaspoons of sugar
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups of your fave gf flour
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon of sea salt
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- a pinch of baking soda
- spices and toppings
- salt and pepper to taste
Method
Heat the oven to 375°. Coat a half sheet pan with three generous glugs of olive oil. Have two large bowls ready.
Measure and mix the wet ingredients in one bowl. Then, measure and mix the dry ingredients in the other bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just enough to combine.
Pour the dough into the oiled baking sheet and spread it out with a large spoon or spatula.
Dribble a bit more olive oil on the surface. Add your toppings and spices. We used roasted garlic, sliced roma tomatoes, oregano, olives, and macerated onions. Whatever sounds good.
Slide the bread into the hot oven. Let it bake for 20–30 minutes. When it’s done, it should be fluffy, golden brown, and cooked through.
Let it cool for a minute, slice it, and then go to town.