Cassava Flour Gluten-Free Flatbreads with Zucchini, Prosciutto and Pesto

This gluten-free flatbread recipe is brought to you by my friends at Bob’s Red Mill. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this site (and my paleo pizza cravings) possible! For more delicious healthy recipes, coupons and stores near you visit BobsRedMill.com.

As many of you know, this past year I began my grand mission to discover the best gluten-free pizza in New York City. It was a brave, self-sacrificing thing to do in the name of hard journalism. But the search didn’t end there.

What I discovered was that there were many innovations in the department of soft, pillow crusts. But I was surprised that besides the occasional cauliflower pie, there were very few options out there that were completely paleo and grain-free.

As I began researching ways I could conquer this comfort food unicorn, I came across what seemed like the key ingredient that all my crispy flatbread dreams rested upon: cassava flour.

Cassava (which is also known as yuca or manioc) is a tuber similar to taro, yam and potato. It’s grown all over South America and in some areas of Asia and Africa. I came across it often when I was traveling in Brazil, but haven’t seen it as widely available in the US supermarkets.

Which is a shame, because cassava flour is one of the most versatile gluten-free, grain-free flours around, especially for baking without yeast.

I used the Bob’s Red Mill cassava flour and their recipe as a jumping off point for these cassava flour flatbreads. Their product library is a treasure trove for more obscure gluten-free flours and creative ways to use them. They are pretty much the only company that I’ll find myself using the recipe on the back of the bag!

The technique for these gluten-free flatbreads is easy enough: whisk the cassava flour with baking soda and cream of tartar, then add enough water for a sticky batter to form. The dough should come together into a springy ball.

The trickiest part about making these flatbreads stove-top (which is my preferred method) is transferring the rolled out disk to the pan. As you can see in the video below, I did a quick inversion from the cutting board and then peeled away the parchment once it was in the pan.

After having a few less graceful attempts though, I can say it’s hard to screw up: if your crust breaks, just carefully smooth it back together like playdough. Once the first side browns, it will be crispy enough to flip no matter how many cracks or tears are on the other side.

You can bake these crusts like a pizza, but I prefer the quick pan-fry method for extra crispiness. My favorite thing about the texture of these gluten-free flatbreads is that they have a little crunch but are also pliable enough to bend and give you some delightful chewiness.

Cassava flour gets wonderfully crispy but maintains its flexibility even once cool, unlike most gluten-free crusts which turn into a brittle, stale cracker 5 minutes after coming out of the oven. You can also use this technique for homemade tortillas.

In this recipe, I loaded up the crusts with raw toppings like the shaved zucchini, pesto and prosciutto—perfect for spring! But you can do you.

Read on for the full recipe and video on how to make these gluten-free flatbreads with Bob’s Red Mill Cassava Flour!

With health and hedonism,

Phoebe

Cassava Flour Flatbreads with Zucchini, Prosciutto and Pesto

5 from 2 votes

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Thee cassava flour flatbreads are a great way to create a quick grain-free, gluten-free pizza crust on the stovetop. You can also bake these in the oven at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes. I found they got crispier in the pan. The reason I like them for flatbreads is because the sauce tends to soak into the base when you bake them together. Especially when it’s warm out, this makes a perfect quick dinner (15 minutes!) 

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 2 servings

Author Phoebe Lapine

Ingredients

• 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill cassava flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• Olive oil
• 3/4 cup warm water

For the pizza:

• 1/2 cup basil pesto
• 1 small zucchini thinly sliced with a vegetable peeler
• 10 slices prosciutto
• 1/2 cup nut-based ricotta
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

Instructions

• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cassava flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt with a fork until combined. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and continue to mix until small clumps form.
• Stream in the warm water while mixing with a spoon until the dough holds together. You might need more or less depending. Roll into a ball and let the dough in the bowl sit for 10 minutes to hydrate.
• Meanwhile, preheat a skillet over medium heat.
• Split the dough ball into two portions. Place the first half between two pieces of parchment paper and roll out until your desired thickness—roughly the circumference of your skillet.
• Grease the skillet lightly with olive oil, then carefully transfer the flatbread to the pan using the parchment paper to shimmy it (or flip) directly onto the surface. If it breaks at all, don’t freak out, use your fingers to patch and press back together. You’ll hardly notice when you flip it.
• Cook the flatbread until lightly browned and crispy on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. While the first flatbread is cooking, roll out the second and then repeat the cooking process.
• On a work surface, divide the pesto between the two flatbreads and use the back of a spoon to coat it evenly. Arrange the zucchini slices on top, followed by the prosciutto. Dot with the ricotta and garnish with basil leaves and a sprinkle of salt. Cut into slices and serve immediately.

If you make this, tag @phoebelapine and #feedmephoebe – I’d love to see it!

This gluten-free flatbread recipe is brought to you by my friends at Bob’s Red Mill. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this site (and my paleo pizza cravings) possible! For more delicious healthy recipes, coupons and stores near you visit BobsRedMill.com.