Gluten-free Recipes Guaranteed to Please a Crowd

(BPT) - Sandwiches, pizza and fresh crusty bread ... what do they have in common? Besides being among our favorite foods, they are often made with wheat and contain gluten. However, with a scan of American grocery store shelves or restaurant menus, it's easy to see that "gluten-free" is a popular trend these days, with more and more people looking to reduce or eliminate gluten from their diets.

As the number of individuals seeking a gluten-free diet increases, so does the demand for flavorful gluten-free recipes, especially for baked goods that are traditionally packed with gluten.

Baking flavor-packed gluten-free recipes is a breeze with the addition of naturally gluten-free ingredients like California Ripe Olives - a delicious and versatile ingredient that adds flavor and texture to any gluten-free dish. And here's a fun fact - did you know that 95 percent of black ripe olives are grown in California by more than 1,000 family farmers?

Here are a few tasty recipes for fresh California Ripe Olive-studded Focaccia bread and a zesty Muffaletta sandwich that are gluten-free. These simple and mouth-watering recipes are sure to please gluten lovers and gluten-free eaters alike.

California Ripe Olives are a tasty gluten-free addition to any meal that will never go out of style.

For more recipes visit www.calolive.org.http://www.calolive.org/

Gluten-Free Olive, Shallot and Rosemary Focaccia

Bread

• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 packets instant dry yeast
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for pan
• 3 cups brown rice flour, divided
• 1/2 cup each: white rice flour, sorghum flour and tapioca starch/flour
• 1 tablespoon xanthan gum
• 2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cornmeal

Olive Topping

• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
• 1 (6 ounce) can California Ripe Olives, well drained
• 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons Maldon salt

Instructions

1. Place water, sugar and yeast in a large mixer bowl; let stand for five minutes or until yeast begins to foam.
2. Beat in eggs and olive oil.
3. Add flours, xanthan gum and salt and beat well with a dough hook for five minutes, scraping down the sides occasionally. Mixture should be a very thick batter.
4. Lightly oil two medium baking sheets and sprinkle with cornmeal. Spread batter about 1-inch thick into pans and top with garlic, rosemary, olives, shallots, cheese and Maldon salt, in that order, pressing lightly into the dough. Let stand in a warm spot for 30 minutes or until dough has doubled in size.
5. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
6. Bake focaccia for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown, tenting with foil during the last five or 10 minutes if topping browns too quickly.

Gluten-Free Muffaletta Sandwich

• Gluten-Free Olive, Shallot and Rosemary Focaccia
• 1 cup Wine Country Olive Tapenade
• 8 slices provolone cheese
• 8 ounces thinly sliced smoked ham
• 4 ounces sliced Genova salame
• 4 ounces sliced Sopressa Veneta

Instructions

1. Place bread on a board and carefully cut in half horizontally.
2. Spread tapenade over the bottom half and top with cheese, ham, salame and sopressa.
3. Cover with focaccia top and press down gently. Cut into wedges.

Yield: 8 servings

Courtesy of Brandpoint.