You could have knocked me down with a feather when one of the big companies known for their gluten-base goods came out with three gluten free products. That is right, I am talking about Pillsbury, and the Doughboy is going gluten free! Can you believe it? They have come out with three doughs free of gluten: Chocolate Chip Cookie (however this contains milk for those cow milk allergic, like myself), Thin Crust Pizza Dough and Pie and Pastry Dough. When I got offered a chance to try out the doughs, I just had to see for myself how they baked up and taste.
While waiting for my doughs to arrive, I checked my local markets. I normally don’t even check the refrigerated dough section of the store. What could there be for me, the gluten and dairy free queen? Apparently, I am going to have to look more often, because in every store I checked, right next to the Pillsbury refrigerated doughs, I found the gluten free counterparts. Sweet! I know, I know, I am the make from homemade mamma… BUT you know what? Sometimes a little convenience goes a loooooong way. Not even I like to make dinner every single night from scratch. Who has the energy? Plus, the idea that I can grab some pizza dough and a bit of foil or parchment (to line the baking pan) and head over to a friend’s house for “Make your own pizza night,” well, that my dears, is priceless! I have two teenagers and that scenario plays out really often.
I was so pleased to see that the pizza dough was not only gluten free, but dairy free as well (big thumbs up from me). I wanted to try it in a slightly different way. One that the taste and texture of the crust would really stand out so I could tell how good it was. Lets face it, slap pizza topping on anything and it’ll taste good, right? I settled on making pizza twists, which gave me a chance to check not only the taste, but how it is to handle and shape, important considerations for me.
I found the dough really simple to work with. I was able to pat it out very thinly, about 1/4 of an inch, yet could still easily fold the resulting dough on itself with no cracking. After cutting the dough and filling with kitchen shears (though a pizza cutter would have worked also) it was a simple mater of twisting the dough twice (again with no cracking) and placing it on the pan where the dough held it’s shape while baking. The benefit of using this pre-made dough was that I was able to pat, fill, brush with egg, toss on the seasoning, cut, and twist in less than 5 minutes. After baking for 15 minutes the resulting snack was gobbled up by my kids for a light lunch with a big salad. The crust had a very satisfying chew with not a hint of grittiness anywhere. How amazing would Pizza Twists be for a game day appetizer, a snack during family board game night or for a sleep over, or as a fun main dish in the lunch box? I am so excited by the possibilities.
I can’t wait to try this same idea with other fillings, savory and sweet. Think apricot jam in the center with cinnamon sugar dusted on top, or minced roasted red pepper, garlic and artichoke filling with rosemary, thyme and sea salt as the garnish. Yum! What will you fill them with? Have you tried the new dough from Pillsbury yet? They have a whole bunch of recipe ideas, such as Pillsbury Gluten Free Barbecue Chicken Mini Pizzas. As for myself, I am off to the store for some more of Pillsbury’s Gluten Free Thin Crust Pizza Dough. Mamma needs some more twists! 🙂
Yields 4
Save RecipeIngredients
- One tub of Gluten Free Pillsbury Thin Crust Pizza Dough
- 1/4 cup gluten free mini or chopped pepperoni
- 1 egg, whisked for brushing
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- Warmed marinara sauce, for dipping
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
On a lightly oiled piece of parchment or silicone baking mat on a baking sheet, pat dough out into a rectangle 9"x12".
Leaving a 1/2 boarder on one long side, place pepperoni evenly over one half of the dough, going the long way. Using the parchment, fold dough over filling lining up edges. Brush dough lightly with whisked egg. Mix together Italian seasoning and salt. Sprinkle seasoning generously over the egg wash.
Using a kitchen shear or pizza cutter, slice dough into 12 even strips starting at the folded edge. Pick up dough and twist twice so that each end has the seasoning face up and the uncoated part of the twist is in the center. Place back on the parchment or silicone mat leaving about 2 inches between twists. Continue with dough until all dough is twisted and on the baking sheet.
Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 15 minutes, turning partway through baking time. Serve with warmed marinara sauce for dipping.
This article is sponsored by Pillsbury®. All opinions are my own. Thank you, Pillsbury®, for sponsoring today’s discussion!
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