Cauliflower pizza crust
Heard about the craze for cauliflower crust pizza? It might not be pizza as we know it, but cauliflower does create a tasty, crispy base that’s a healthy vehicle for your favourite toppings. So it’s a bandwagon we’ve jumped on…
Cauliflower as a pizza base actually kind of works. It’s sturdy enough to host a load of toppings, but it’s light, won’t leave you feeling bloated and it’s a great option if you can’t tolerate gluten. It’s also easy to make and will add another portion of veg to your day. Did you know that cauliflower is a great source of vitamin C and rich in other antioxidants too? All good things!
It can get a biy soggy if you don’t take a few necessary steps. Making sure your oven is nice and hot is key, as is transferring the pizza to a wire rack after cooking. You also have to squeeze the excess water from the cauliflower. It’s an extra step but it’s worth it for a nice crispy base.
Here’s our tried and tested method…
You will need:
- 1 cauliflower head
- 30g ground almonds
- 1 egg, beaten
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Cheese of choice – try mozzarella, parmesan shavings, or ricotta (we used a few tsps ricotta)
- Vegetables of choice (we used 1 shallot, 3 large mushrooms, 1 fresh chilli, 1/2 red pepper)
- 1 tsp dried Italian herbs or oregano
- Fresh basil or oregano (optional)
Method:
- Heat oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6 and line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper.
- Blitz the cauliflower into crumbs in a food processor, then steam on the hob for 5 mins. Allow it to cool a little, then transfer to a clean tea towel and squeeze the water out of it. Transfer to a large bowl and add the ground almonds and egg, season and mix well.
- Pile the mixture onto the baking tray and flatten/shape into a circle with your hands. Cook in the oven for 20 mins. While it’s cooking, slice your toppings. Add the toppings to the base, season, then cook for a further 8-10 mins until softened. Cool for a few minutes, add any fresh herbs, then carefully transfer to wire rack. Slice and serve.
See more Main Meal recipes
