This gluten-free pizza delivers a New York-style slice so crisp and chewy, you’d never guess it’s gluten-free. The soft-yet-workable dough is made with Gluten-Free Pizza Flour and shaped on oiled parchment with Parmesan and cornmeal, which makes shaping easy and adds extra savory flavor and a toothsome texture to the final pizza. Each pie is parbaked on a steel and broiled, then topped and returned to the steel before being finished under the broiler. The method is detailed, but the reward is a pizzeria-quality slice that’s shockingly authentic.
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To make the dough: Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. In a medium bowl, combine all the dough ingredients and mix with a flexible spatula until smooth.
Using greased hands, divide the dough into two equal pieces (305g each) and gently shape them into rounds. Lightly grease the bowl, return both pieces to the bowl, cover, and let rest in a warm spot for 1 hour. While the dough rests, gather the ingredients for assembly.
To assemble: Cut two 13" rounds of parchment and brush each piece generously with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil. Sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons (9g) of the Parmesan and 1 teaspoon of the cornmeal over the olive oil on each piece; set aside until ready to shape.
Preheat the oven 500°F with a stone or steel on a rack in the lower third and another rack in the upper portion of the oven (no more than 4" or 5" from the broiler element) for at least 1 hour. If the oven has a convection setting, turn it on.
To shape the pizzas: Working with one piece of dough on a (gluten-free) floured surface, use your fingertips to gently depress the center, avoiding the outer edge. Press outward to expand the dough until it’s about 9" to 10" in diameter, leaving a 1" border around the edge untouched. If the crusts tears while shaping, that’s OK; gently press it back together.
Gently transfer the shaped pizza to one of the pieces of prepared parchment and continue pressing outward further, until the dough is 13" in diameter.
Repeat the shaping process (steps 5 and 6) with the second piece of dough.
Cover and allow the shaped pizzas to rise for 1 hour while the oven continues to preheat.
To parbake the pizza: Once the oven is fully preheated, generously brush the edges of one of the pizzas with olive oil, and slide it (still on parchment) onto the stone or steel and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the crust puffs and the bottom begins to color in spots.
Switch the oven to high broil and place the pizza directly onto the upper rack and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until the top of the dough is golden brown in spots. Keep a close eye on the crust and rotate it as needed to ensure even baking.
To top the pizza: Remove the pizza from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. Change the oven back to the bake setting at 500°F. Remove the parchment and top with 1/2 cup (113g) of the sauce and 3/4 cup (85g) of the cheese.
To finish baking: Return the topped pizza to the stone or steel and bake for 5 to 6 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Move the pizza to the upper rack and broil on high for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the cheese is fully browned and the crust is well-baked and dark in spots.
Remove the pizza from the oven, garnish with additional cheese if desired, and let rest on a cooling rack for 3 to 5 minutes before cutting and serving hot.
Allow the stone or steel to reheat for at least 15 minutes, then repeat the parbaking, topping, and finishing process with the second pizza (steps 9 through 13).
Storage information: Store any leftover gluten-free pizza in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days. To most closely mimic the experience of eating New York-style pizza, reheat by placing slices directly on a preheated stone or steel for 3 to 5 minutes, or until warmed throughout.
Tips from our Bakers
The maximum temperature rating for most parchment paper is below 500°F, and at temperatures between 450°F and 500°F parchment’s exposed edges begin to char. To be safe, keep a close eye on anything being cooked at temperatures above 450°F (especially anything on an upper rack). Burned edges can also be minimized by trimming away excess parchment before baking.
