Occasionally it’s nice to create a takeaway-style treat, and if this can be accomplished without the metabolic repercussions…and guilt, the enjoyment is even more special. The following recipe is the culmination of several attempts to achieve a deep pan style pizza similar to my Pizza Hut favourite which has become a distant memory. I had made pizza bases using the Fathead recipe a few times but found it to be too heavy and overpowered the other ingredients, so this base is a lot lighter but still manages to be substantial enough to carry the topping, especially with the crispy Parmesan base coat.
The main difference in this recipe is the use of the shredded fresh mozzarella which has two advantages, there is no addition of corn flour which is used in the pre-shredded varieties and also the fresh mozzarella gives the dough a lighter texture.
The toppings used for this example uses pesto as a replacement for tomato sauce, pepperoni, and the remainder of the mozzarella ball, tomato slices and fresh chillies.
Ingredients
75g Almond Flour
1 Tbsp Psyllium Husk
1 Tsp Dried Bakers Yeast (optional for a more dough-like flavour)
½ Tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1Tbsp Olive Oil
½ 150g (drained) ball of fresh mozzarella
1 Egg
Seasoning to taste (Oregano, Salt, Pepper etc)
Grated Parmesan
Method
Drain and squeeze all of the liquid from the mozzarella and using the back of a fork, shred half of the cheese.
Add to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Leave the mixed ingredients to stand for 10 minutes for the Psyllium to do its thing. Grate the Parmesan onto a sheet of parchment paper and place the ball of dough on top then cover with a sheet of cling film.
Using your hands, shape the dough into a base with a raised edge. The cling film makes this process very easy and mess free.
Peel off the cling film and dock the central area of the base with a fork.
Bake for approximately 15 minutes at 200 C, add the toppings and bake for a further 15 minutes.
