Sweet and spicy golden chia pizza

When I have a sudden urge for pizza (which often happens, at about 11am..) I can rest easy in the knowledge I can whip up a gluten free pizza in time for lunch. That’s the neat thing about a gluten free pizza crust, it can be very quick to make. No kneading either!  This crust is thin, crisp and able to withstand being sliced. The sauce is sweet, spicy and slightly sticky. It’s a simple recipe, I’d love to know if you give it a go. Just grab some gram flour and chia seeds and we’re half way to pizza time..

Recipe (makes 1 small pizza)

For the crust –

• 1/2 cup gram flour
• 3 tbsp Organic Burst chia seeds mixed with 6 tbsp water
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• Himalayan pink salt and black pepper

For the sweet and spicy sauce –

• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 small fresh red chili, diced (use half without the seeds if you’re not a fan of heat)
• 1 tin/carton of organic chopped tomatoes
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• Toppings of choice- I used mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, sweet bite peppers and fresh basil

1. Pre heat oven to 180 degrees and lightly grease a large baking tray or line with greaseproof paper.
2. Make your sweet and spicy sauce. Add coconut oil to a medium size sauce pan and heat gently. Add minced garlic, oregano and diced chili to the oil and fry over a gentle heat until soft and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Take care not to let the garlic brown.
3. Add the tomatoes and maple syrup and leave on a gentle simmer.
4. While the sauce is cooking, make the pizza crust. In a mixing bowl, mix chia seeds and 6 tbsp water to form a gel.
5. Add gram flour, water, turmeric, pink salt and pepper to the bowl and mix well until it comes together as a sticky dough. Add a little more water if you need to.
6. Flatten out on to your greased or lined baking tray into a round pizza shape. Bake for 25 mins or until firm.
7. While the pizza is cooking, check the sauce for flavour- add more maple syrup or chili accordingly. Add the balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to the sauce and stir well. You want the sauce to reduce down by at least half, so turn the heat up if you need to.
8. Take out your golden pizza crust and top with sweet and spicy sauce and toppings of choice. Pop back in the oven for another 7-10 minutes until the vegetables have browned.