Cauliflower Pizza Crust

On a fun note, I've made cauliflower pizza crust twice now and the first time I followed a recipe that told me to bake the cauliflower on parchment paper then broil it once you put the toppings on.  THIS IS A TRAP.  I immediately had a small fire on my hands which left my pizza with "eau de campfire".  Parchment paper and broilers do not mix. You have been warned.

So anyways, making a pizza crust out of cauliflower may seem like a lot of work but it's not, and it is really delicious!  Basically, you grind the cauliflower, steam it, strain it and then bake it.  One small head of cauliflower makes a small-medium pizza that will serve two or three people.  It is a satisfying and filling way to sneak it a few more veggies into your life, especially when you are craving pizza.  
 

 

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Recipe by Ali Caron RD

Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower

1 egg

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp Garlic powder

2 tsp Herbs de Provence (or Italian seasoning)

Salt to taste

Favorite Pizza Toppings: sauce, cheese, veggies, pepperoni, pineapple, ground beef or turkey, bacon

Directions: Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.  Place pizza stone or cookie sheet in the oven.

Wash head of cauliflower and chop into 1 inch pieces. Place in food processor until it is ground into small pieces that resemble grated Parmesan cheese.  (You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your food processor.  Remember to scrape down the sides so it is uniform.)

Place in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Cook in the microwave for 4 minutes.  Allow to cool for a few minutes!

Once cooled, place cauliflower on a tea towel and squeeze out all of the excess water.  The more liquid you remove the better the pizza will be!

Place back into your bowl and combine with Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, Herbs de Provence, salt and egg. 

Spray one side of a piece of parchment paper with non-stick spray.  Pour cauliflower mixture onto parchment paper and using your hands, form pizza crust that is about ½ an inch thick.  Take pizza stone out of the oven, slide the parchment paper onto it and place back in oven for about 10 minutes.

Top pizza with your favorite toppings and cook for another 5-10 minutes.  (If you are using meat, use left-overs, pre-cooked meat or sauté on the stove top prior to adding it to the pizza.)

Allow the pizza to cool for a few minutes before cutting so your slices stay intact.  Enjoy!