Bite Of Minnesota: Cauliflower Crust Pizza
One of my favorite foods in the entire world is pizza. No time to make dinner? Feeding a crowd? Late night hunger? Pizza to the rescue! There's plenty of variety: slices, whole pie, deep dish, thin crust, not to mention the variety that comes with topping the pizza. Since I live in a pizza dense area, there isn't much need to make it at home but I do make an exception for cauliflower crust pizza. Yes, the crust is made of cauliflower and it's so good!
A friend recently asked, "Is cauliflower crust pizza really worth it?" Um, yes, it is! It packs a ton of nutrients into the crust and serves as an excellent vessel for the pizza toppings of your choice. I've made this a few times, usually starting with a whole head of cauliflower and using my food processor to break florets down into "rice", but I've also purchased a fresh bag of already riced cauliflower in a bag from Trader Joe's, making it super easy to put this recipe together. Whichever format you go with, make sure to squeeze out as much water as possible after steaming. This will help your crust hold together.
As for toppings, I like variety. The recipe below makes two rectangle pizzas (1/2 a jelly roll pan each) so I like to make two versions. This time I slathered one crust with pesto, one with marinara, and divided crispy pancetta, sautéed mushrooms, parmesan and shredded fontina over the top.
You might still be hesitant but I encourage you to give it a try. Who knows, it might be your new favorite thing and you'll be teaching it to your friends.
Cauliflower Crust Pizza
(serves 2)
For Crust:
1 head of cauliflower, broken into florets
2 tsp oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup basil, chopped
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 large egg whites, whisked together
Salt and pepper, to taste
For Toppings:
1/4 cup marinara
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (fontina works well too)
1 cup sautéed vegetables (mushrooms, peppers, onions, zucchini, etc.)
Preheat oven to 450. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat and set aside.
In batches using a food processor, pulse cauliflower florets until the mixture resembles chunky rice. Transfer to a steamer basket or microwave bowl. Cover and steam for 4-5 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Let cool slightly and wrap in a kitchen towel (or sturdy paper towels) and squeeze all liquid out of the mixture. You want it to be very dry.
In a large bowl, combine cauliflower, 1 teaspoon of oil, garlic, basil, mozzarella, parmesan, and egg whites. Toss to combine and season with salt and pepper.
Divide mixture into two and transfer to prepared sheet pan. Press mixture into rectangles and drizzle with olive oil. Bake crusts for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven, add sauce and toppings, and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let cool slightly, slice into squares and serve.
