Product: Rustic Crust Gluten-Free Napoli Herb Pizza Crust – $4.99+
This is another case of looks can be deceiving when it comes to the gluten-free products on the market. I’ve seen these crusts on the shelf of my local grocery store for over a year now and have never bought them. Why? Because…they looked…funny. I know, that’s a bit fickle coming from a foodie like me, but…they just always looked green and crumbly and…there were products I knew were good like Udi’s pizza crusts in the freezer section…
And then…one word struck fear into my gluten-free heart one day while out at the grocery store:
CLOSEOUT!
Trust me…when you live off of a section of five shelves, the fact that anything suddenly is labeled as a closeout item means…it may not be coming back. And over half the section was now on closeout. I went into panic mode. I purchased everything I really, really wanted to try. And I did it without remorse, despite my bank account screaming in agony.
One of the products that made it home with me were the pizza crusts by Rustic Crust.
And with my weekly deliveries of delicious farm produce…I had some vegetables that were just screaming out to be made into pizza toppings. And so…I decided to give this crust a shot. The worst thing that could happen would be that it wasn’t any good. I’d still eat the pizza because I don’t waste anything…but…I’d prefer it to be delicious all the way around.
My pizza was a simple white pizza. A touch of garlic-infused olive oil on the crust, crushed red pepper flakes, some thinly sliced summer squash, some sliced red onion, a smattering of goat cheese, a little sprinkle of mozzarella…what’s not to love? Into the oven it went for 15 minutes to cook. I had to admit, as the time ticked on…it was beginning to smell delicious.
I was actually quite surprised by the outcome of this pizza crust. A shelf-stable shell…it was either going to be amazing or…not. I let the pizza sit for a moment so that it wouldn’t fall apart when I sliced into it. And once I did, what I found was that this specific pizza crust baked up to a crispy perfection. And I mean…Chicago-style pizza crust crispy. It had a nice golden shell on the outside, but the center was still soft…as if baked right at home and made from scratch.
So, already I was feeling better about this pizza crust. But even the best baked items can fall short in the flavor test.
Not Rustic Crust. The Gluten-Free Napoli Herb Pizza crust was delicious all the way around. This crust was flaky and crispy and chewy and amazing and just…WOW! It worked as a white pizza. I was so nervous that without sauce it might just fall flat. But this pizza crust is packed with flavor and great texture. And…each slice is only 80 calories. As I topped mine off with mostly vegetables and a smattering of goat cheese and (for me) vegan shreds, it meant it was a rather nutritious slice of pizza all the way around.
Not only is Rustic Crust Gluten-Free Napoli Herb Pizza crust wheat-free and gluten-free, but it is also dairy-free and egg-free. It’s a vegan, gluten-free crust of wonder. This seven inch shell held up splendidly in the oven and with my toppings. I will say…it doesn’t reheat all that well the next day, but what pizza does? Pizza just hates the microwave…period. And that is no poor reflection on this crust…because even reheated and needing to be eaten with a fork…it still tasted great.
So…I have to bow down to the great gluten-free gods once more. I shall never again (or at least try to never again) doubt a product or judge it by its looks alone. This is my second favorite pizza crust I have tried so far (the winner so far belongs to Katz Gluten-Free), so that speaks volumes. It has certainly found a spot in my pantry from here on out. No doubts. No questions.
Simply delicious, crusty, warm, amazing pizza is right at your grasp. Go ahead…pick up Rustic Crust Gluten-Free Napoli Herb pizza crust and try it out for yourself. I promise…it will take you back to those pizza parlor days.
The Celiathlete 