Pounder Potato Pizza - Scrumptious, Easy, Fast, and Gluten-Free

Although I am a big fan of gluten--it's the magic stretchy protein in wheat that enables bread (the staff of life) to rise and gives most of us a healthy inexpensive source of essential amino acids--I'm very aware that there is a percentage of the population, such as those with Celiac Disease or those with wheat allergies, that can't have gluten.

With a nod to my cousin who gets to experience the adventure of Celiac Disease, here is a gluten-free pizza that the gluten-sensitive among us can eat, and that the rest of us can enjoy simply because it's yummy!  This is the simplest form of this pizza (basically a cheese only without sauce) but now that I've invented it, I'll be trying lots of permutations.  If you make and like a variation of this let me know in the comments and/or send me photos at Joe@PoPapaJoe.com.

There's a bit of a back-story here.  I've been considering becoming a representative for a great little company in Idaho that does fundraisers for schools / scouting organizations with premium produce (e.g. prodigious potatoes, amazing apples, outstanding oranges, premium peaches etc.).  Cool huh?  Wouldn't it be great to have the alternative to get something nutritious from your local fund-raising Boy Scout rather than overpriced microwave popcorn or boxes of chocolates?  Anyway, I met with the owners of the company and they sent me home with a couple of samples of their premium Idaho potatoes.  These things are HUGE--over a pound each (I call them "Pounders").  I got them home and started wondering what to do with these monsters.  Potatoes are nutritious (especially with the skins on) and have no fat.  Their somewhat neutral taste makes them a great palate upon which to combine other foods into flavor masterpieces.  This potato was SO BIG that I thought "this could cover a whole pan if you smashed it down".  That led to the idea of using it as a pizza crust.  It turned out to be fantastic!  We enjoyed it is as a main course, but it would also make a delightful side dish.  Here's how to make this unique and delicious creation:

How to make Pounder Potato Pizza:

• 1.2 pounds of Potatoes (I just used the one behemoth above but you may need several)
• Olive oil - to drizzle and spread
• Cheese - grated
• Salt (I like it with the flakier Kosher variety) to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Garlic Powder
• Parsley - fresh or dried

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit.  Then wash, dry, and pierce the potato with a fork.  Microwave it for about 10 minutes rotating halfway through or until it is soft enough to poke easily with a fork.  Take it out, set it on a pan (if you use several smaller ones just space them near each other) and smash it flat skin and all to about a centimeter of thickness with the heel of your hand using a flexible cutting board or a heavy piece of paper such as a couple of stacked paper plates.  Make adjustments to fill in any holes and get a nice flat layer of potato.  Then drizzle olive oil all over it and spread it evenly with a food brush.  Now sprinkle it with salt, garlic powder, and freshly ground pepper.  Cover it with grated cheese and then sprinkle on the parsley.  Place it in the oven for about 30 minutes until it's brown and crispy.  Transfer to a plate, cut into slices with a pizza cutter and serve hot!

This fed three of us so adjust the recipe for the size of your tribe.  Enjoy!