Ooni Gluten-Free Pizza Dough with Caputo Fioreglut

Recipe Testing Notes

Caputo Fioreglut gluten-free flour is the key to this recipe turning out well. It is an Italian gluten-free flour blend and it is far superior to any other gluten-free flour I've tried to make pizza with.

I've tried the new King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Pizza Flour; and while it is ok, I really do prefer the Caputo Fioreglut.

Caputo Fioreglut does contain gluten-free wheat starch, so keep that in mind if you plan to use it. Read this article: What is gluten-free wheat starch?, if you are unfamiliar with it. I am a sensitive celiac and use this flour very often to make gluten-free yeast breads of all sorts. I've never gotten sick from it.

I've contacted the manufacturer several times about it and they have assured me the flour is tested and certified to meet the requirements to be labeled gluten-free.

*While Caputo Fioreglut is gluten-free, it is not suitable for someone with a wheat allergy since it does contain wheat.

Ooni Gluten-Free Pizza Dough Ingredients

• Caputo Fioreglut gluten-free flour blend: This is the only gluten-free flour blend I recommend for this recipe. 
  
  **Please note: this flour is certified gluten-free and tests to less than 5ppm; I have contacted the company many times about it. It is not wheat free. This means it will be safe for someone with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity but not for someone with a wheat allergy.
• Instant yeast: Also known as RapidRise or Bread Machine yeast. These types of yeast can all be mixed directly into the flour and do not need to be dissolved first.
  
  If you only have regular, active dry yeast, dissolve it for 5 minutes in the warm water. Then mix it in with the rest of the ingredients.
• Olive oil: You can use other oils, such as avocado oil, as well.
• Kosher salt: If you only have table salt, use a bit less.
• Water: Be sure your water is the correct temperature before adding to the mixture. It should be between 120°F-130°F for instant yeast.
• Cornmeal and Rice flour: for shaping the dough.

*Refer to the recipe card for full ingredient information.

Equipment Needed for This Recipe

• Ooni pizza oven: I only have experience with the Ooni pizza ovens, but other brands of wood-fired or gas-powered pizza ovens should also work with this recipe. I own the Ooni Karu 12 Multi-Fuel Pizza Oven, which I have been very happy with. You can also explore all the pizza ovens Ooni has to offer! They have several different models to choose from.
  
  We've been using ours for over 4 years and it's still going strong! The Karu oven has a multi-fuel option, which means you can use wood or charcoal for a traditional wood-fired experience, or attach a gas burner for ease and control. We started with the wood-fired option and eventually added the gas-burner. There are pros and cons to either method, but I've been keeping the gas burner attached because it is just so easy to use.
• Pizza peel: You must use a pizza peel when operating a pizza oven. It gets extremely hot inside the oven, and the pizza peel is the only safe way to launch and remove pizzas from the oven.
  
  If you also have the Ooni Karu 12-inch pizza oven, you need a pizza peel that will fit. So that would be a 12-inch pizza peel such as this. The peel itself is 12x14 inches and the handle is 10-inches. It's a perfect compact size that works well with the Ooni pizza oven.
  
  Pizza peels also come in metal or wooden options. I have used both and both work fine. I primarily use a metal pizza peel with the Ooni. I would not get the perforated peel, as I like to shape the dough directly on the peel and I'm not sure how well that would work with the perforations.
• Kitchen scale: I only recommend measuring Caputo Fioreglut with a digital kitchen scale. The flour is very starchy and hard to measure using cups.
• Infrared thermometer: I use this Thermoworks IR thermometer. It is a great tool to have on hand because you really have no other way of knowing if your pizza oven is the proper temperature.
• Stand mixer: While not 100% necessary, a stand mixer is great for mixing up gluten-free yeast bread doughs. It does the work for you and ensures everything is mixed well.
• Bench Scraper: A bench scraper is so handy for releasing stuck dough without wrecking your pizza crust.

How to Make Ooni Gluten-Free Pizza Dough

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients (Fioreglut, yeast, and salt) in the stand mixer bowl. Then add in the warmed water and oil.
2. Blend on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Use the flat beater, not the dough hook, for this recipe.
3. With a rubber spatula, gather the dough into a ball and plop it into another bowl that has been greased with a drizzle of olive oil. Roll the dough to coat in oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Set aside and let rise about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.*
4. After the dough has risen, you can use it right away or feel free to refrigerate for a few hours. I find the dough is easier to work with when cold.

*You can let the dough rise in the same bowl you mixed it in, but if there is any dough left on the sides, it tends to harden and becomes difficult to clean off of the bowl. That's why I prefer to let the dough rise in a clean, greased bowl — so that I can soak and wash the mixing bowl before the sticky dough hardens to it.

How to Shape Gluten-Free Pizza Dough

Shaping dough for the Ooni pizza oven can be done in two ways; patting out with your hands or rolled with a rolling pin. The method you choose does make a difference!

• Patting out the dough typically results in thicker-edged crusts with a more bubbly texture. The downside is that it is also typically thicker, which can result in crust that isn't quite as well cooked through depending on how quickly your toppings cook. To prevent this, try to get the dough pressed out as thinly as possible while keeping that crust edge just a bit thicker than the center.
• Rolling out the dough results in a uniformly thin crust that tends to cook through the best in the Ooni. The possible downside is that the crust doesn't puff up as much along the edges as with the other method.

1. Grab your pizza peel. Dust it liberally with gluten-free rice flour and cornmeal. Divide your dough into 2 dough balls. Place one portion of your dough onto the peel. Dust with more rice flour so it doesn't stick to your hands or the rolling pin.
2. Pat or roll out the dough as thinly as possible, about ¼-inch thickness. Shake the pizza peel frequently to ensure the dough is not sticking.
   
   If your dough gets stuck, use a bench scraper to lift the edge of the pizza dough, then sprinkle more cornmeal underneath the dough. Give it another jiggle to ensure you've released the dough.
3. Once you've finished shaping your dough, give the peel another shake to ensure the dough isn't stuck. If it's moving freely, feel free to add your toppings.
4. Keep toppings as minimal as possible. Just a thin layer of sauce and cheese works best!

How to Cook Gluten-Free Pizza in an Ooni Pizza Oven

1. Pre-heat your pizza oven for at least 30 minutes. Follow the instructions that come with your pizza oven to determine the best way to preheat.
   
   *For the Ooni Karu with gas power: If necessary, insert the baking stone. Attach the chimney with the baffle open, turn the flames to high, and place the front door on the oven.
2. Once preheated, you can shape and assemble your pizza. Ensure the pizza is moving freely on the peel.
3. To launch the pizza into the oven, insert the pizza on the peel into the oven. Give the peel a good forward thrust. The pizza should start to slide off of the peel onto the pizza stone. Then, gently lift the backend of the peel to slide the pizza peel out from underneath the pizza, leaving the pizza on the stone.
4. Use your pizza peel to help you rotate the pizza as each side browns to your liking, about every 30 seconds. Keep an eye on it as the edges can burn easily. The entire cook usually only takes about 1-3 minutes.
5. Once the crust and toppings are cooked to your liking, remove the pizza from the oven. Repeat the process with your remaining dough.

How to Make the Dough Ahead

Mix the dough and let it rise. After the dough has risen, you can refrigerate it for a few hours up to overnight, keeping it covered. If you refrigerate it for much longer than that, it won't puff up as much during the cooking process.