Gluten-free cauliflower ‘pizza’

June 5, 2017
 

Cauliflower pizza crust

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: 

  1. Heat oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6 and line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

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