Xantham gum is used to stop the pizza base from crumbling in this light, springtime gluten-free recipe.

Ingredients:

• 250 ml milk
• 1 x 7 g sachet of yeast
• 2½ teaspoons caster sugar
• 65 g cornflour
• 425 g brown rice flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 teaspoons gluten-free xanthan gum
• 1 large free-range egg
• olive oil
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
• 300 g fresh or frozen peas
• ½ bunch of fresh mint
• 250 g soft goat’s cheese or curd
• 1 lemon
• 2 courgettes
• fine polenta, for dusting
• 200 g watercress
• extra virgin olive oil

Method: (11 Steps)

• Preheat the oven to 200ºC/gas 6, and insert a pizza stone or baking sheet to warm up.
• Warm the milk. In a bowl, whisk the yeast and sugar with a splash of the milk, until it starts to foam.
• In a separate bowl, mix the cornflour, flour, xanthan gum, egg and 4 teaspoons of olive oil with 1 teaspoon of sea salt and the remaining milk.
• Add the yeast mixture, then use your hands to combine it all into a smooth dough.
• In a cup, mix the bicarbonate of soda into the vinegar, then fold it into the dough. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for 1 hour, until doubled in size.
• Tip out the proved dough onto a lightly floured surface. Cut it into eight, then roll them out into circular pizza bases about 5mm thick.
• To make the sauce, blanch the peas in boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain. Add them to a food processor, pick in the mint leaves, and add a lug of olive oil, season, then blitz to a paste.
• In a bowl, combine the goat’s cheese (or curd) with half the lemon juice and half the zest.
• Top each pizza with the pea purée. Grate and scatter over the courgette, then dollop on some of the goat’s cheese mixture.
• Sprinkle polenta over the pizza stone or preheated tray, then place the pizzas on top. Bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cooked
• and crispy at the edges.
• Season them, and serve with some watercress, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a grating of lemon zest.