Inspired by Dove Vivi Pizza in Portland
Dove Vivi pizza near my house makes incredible gluten-free vegan cornmeal crust pizza. Naturally they don’t give out the recipe, but this seems to be a pretty good imitation, if you don’t live near Dove Vivi or just want to stay at home. It’s quick and easy, anyway.
How to make cornmeal crust:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. In a medium-size mixing bowl, mix in this order one cup of polenta (rough cornmeal), one cup of masa (fine cornmeal), a large pinch of salt, 1/4 cup olive oil, and one cup of water. Stir with a wooden spoon, then turn it out into a pie pan and press it into the shape of a crust. This makes enough for a large pie pan or cast iron skillet, or use a smaller pie pan and have a thicker bottom crust.
How to make the tart:
Peel an eggplant and slice into 1/4 inch slices. Place them on a cookie sheet with plenty of olive oil and salt and bake until they get soft, about fifteen minutes. They can bake while you’re making the crust.Then make your tart by layering inside the pie crust: a layer of sliced tomatoes, then feta cheese, then thyme and parsley, then eggplant. Repeat until the crust is filled. Over the top, scatter breadcrumbs, or, if you need this to be gluten-free, mix 1/2 cup of masa with 1/4 cup of water to make crumbs and scatter them over the top. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top and bake at 350 for about half an hour.
Or, to make this into a gluten-free deep dish pizza, use the smaller pie pan with the deeper crust, and layer on tomato sauce, grated mozzarella cheese, and whatever toppings you have in mind (the tomato and eggplant will be great). For vegan, use vegan cheese.
Can I keep leftover pizza/tart for later?
Yes, they’re good cold or reheated for a couple of days as leftovers. Leftover pizza makes an excellent lunch to take to school or work.