RECIPE: Cauliflower crust PIZZA
I know - it's sounds insane that you could eat pizza and avoid indulging all the wheat and calories from the crust! But it's possible! I've heard about Cauliflower pizza crust many times but never made one, so here it is - I promise it was SUPER delicious and it was not complicated at all to do!
There's a lot of cheese in this recipe, but unfortunately there's no way you can make the crust stay together without some good old cheese! I personally avoid eating too much dairy products, especially milk. I am still eating yogurt, but not every day, use mostly almond and quinoa milk without additives and I allow myself some cheese from time to time, such as Parmesan, Grana, cheddar or cottage cheese.
This particular recipe for pizza was my "exception" day and I baked a really small pizza as you will see in the pictures.
So enjoy preparing, baking and last but not least - eating this delicious treat!
Ingredients:
For the crust:
2 cups grated cauliflower florets
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
For sauce:
150g of crushed tomatoes
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp dry basil
1 pinch of Himalayan salt
1 pinch of black pepper
1 crushed garlic clove
1 pinch of chili pepper (opt.)
For topping:
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 an avocado
1 handful of cherry tomatoes
1 small handful of arugula leaves
Preparation:
Preheat your oven to 200C.
1) Place the 2 cups of grated cauliflower florets in a dry skillet over low heat. Let it warm up well until it starts steaming. Stir occasionally for about 10-12' until the moisture evaporates. Set aside to cool while proceeding with the next step.
2) Beat the egg in a bowl and combine with the grated parmesan cheese and the cauliflower. You can season the crust with some herbs if you want but there's no need to add salt since the cheese is pretty salty.
3) Line a baking tray with parchment paper and transfer the cauliflower mixture on it, shaping it with a spoon or your hands in a circle about 1/2cm thick. Make sure you create little higher edges, otherwise the crust will burn on the sides. It will still be delicious but not that pretty!
4) Bake your crust in a preheated oven for 15 to 20' depending on how big your pizza is, but keep an eye on it so you won't let it burn.
5) While the crust is baking prepare your homemade tomato sauce by mixing together all the ingredients. Adding chilly pepper or flakes is optional, but I love spicy food so I was generous with it.
6) When your crust is baked take it out of the oven, top with tomato and sprinkle cheese on top. Transfer back to the oven for another 10' or so, or as much as the Mozzarella melts on top and if you prefer until it becomes slightly golden.
7) Finally top with your fresh veggies. You can use the ones I did or whatever you feel like in the moment. I find that the softness of the avocado, the gentle crunch of the tomatoes and the light spiciness of the arugula go extremely well with pizza "Margherita"!
Enjoy your pizza everyone!
XOXO,
Gabi K.