Gluten-free ‘I live in a van down by the river’ Pizza
Ingredients: Pre-packaged gluten-free pizza crust, red peppers, sliced potatoes, goat cheese and pizza sauce.
So I love pizza. And we live in a van. And we have two pans, a pot and a frying pan. And we hardly ever “plug in” to an electrical source or run our generator, so we can’t often use our microwave/convection oven. And I have celiac disease. You might say, “Hell, just give up and eat Campbell’s Soup out of a can.” But not me. Like Matt Damon in The Martian, “I’m just going to have to science the shit out of this.” As my pal, Matt, says, you have to solve one problem, then the next, then the next.
So, first was the crust. The solution: Pre-packaged gluten-free pizza crusts the exact diameter of my frying pan. They must have made them just for me. I toast them on one side in some olive oil, then flip them over,
Next, the ingredients. The solution: Pre-cook them, so they only need to heat through.
Last, the final assembly and heating. The solution: Put a lid on the frying pan, lower the flame underneath and let sit until the crust is browned and the ingredients hot and bubbly.
I recently made two versions, one with thinly sliced potatoes, reminiscent of the one I had from a street vendor in Paris years ago (Yes, I am that sophisticated.), and another with red peppers and goat cheese, which I will put on ANYTHING. You could use pepperoni, grated mozzarella, eggplant, anything you like.
And trust me, if Matt had this on Mars, he might not have worked so hard to get home.
Gluten-free Van Pizza
Olive oil
Pre-packaged gluten-free pizza crusts to fit your pan
Pizza sauce (commercial or your own)
Your favorite pre-cooked ingredients
1 – Thinly sliced potatoes, sautéed in olive oil, salt and pepper until brown and crispy
2 – Diced red peppers, sautéed, and goat cheese
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in the frying pan.
Cook crust until browned on one side.
Flip.
Top with ingredients.
Cover and cook until crust is toasted brown on the bottom and ingredients are hot and bubbly.
I see the van becoming a Food Truck in the near future. Can Gluten free Cuban Sandwiches come soon enough?
Mike, I think we need to do extensive research when I get back to town. Judy
Great idea and full of flavor! bravo… Love your blog!
Thanks, MJ. So glad you’re liking the blog.
So, it’s just starting to occur to me that you’re … sort of homeless.
Honestly, stop by Green Valley and I’ll dig out an extension cord for you.
Not sure about letting you in the house, but I’ll buy you a pizza.
Dan, You’re the man. You figured out our dirty, little secret. We’ll be stopping by when you least expect it. Judy
We actually went gluten-free as best we could and what an amazing feeling! We now do gluten-free more often especially when traveling in our van. Getting our new van sometime in June and having it converted. Can’t wait, perhaps we will be joining you two for some gluten-free baking/cooking this winter???
Ann, Just saw this. Are you on the road yet? How’s the new van? We’d love to meet up on the road. We’re going through Colorado now, headed to the Great Lakes. J