Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Last night I jumped on a recipe bandwagon - thanks to Pinterest! - and made this "pizza" that seems to be all over that website. Even though I have no real need for a gluten-free, low-carb pizza crust in my life, its nice to have options right? I was intrigued by the concept and just how this was all going to turn out, and like the many, many people who have "pinned" this and the many people who have commented about it on the recipe blog I got it from - we loved it!

You really would never know its cauliflower, but I really don't know how to describe it. It comes out kind of like thin, soft bread...you should know its definitely NOT a crispy, crunchy crust. It gets a little crispy around the edges but the majority of it stays soft. And you'll probably be better off eating it with a fork. But we enjoyed it all the same, and you could definitely add any combination of toppings you like, the possibilities are endless, just like on any other pizza. I used pizza sauce, caramelized onions, garlic, spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms and sweet Italian turkey sausage.

The only reason I probably won't be making this more often was because it was kind of a pain for me since I don't have a food processor, and the little Magic Bullet wasn't up for the ricing task, which meant I had to grate the cauliflower by hand which wasn't very fun. Other than that it was definitely easy to create.

I also read that you can make this same method but with zucchini - definitely going to try that too!

Cauliflower Crust Pizza
from Eat.Drink.Smile (also Your Lighter Side)...I got some good tips from both of these sites

Ingredients

1 cup cooked, riced cauliflower (directions below)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
A small handful Parmesan cheese (my addition)
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 tsp garlic salt
olive oil (optional)

Pizza sauce, shredded cheese and your choice of toppings (which will need to be precooked since you only broil for a few minutes)

Directions (my notes are in Italics)

To "Rice" the Cauliflower:
Take 1 large head of fresh cauliflower, remove stems and leaves, and chop the florets into chunks. Add to food processor and pulse until it looks like grain. Do not over-do pulse or you will puree it. *If you don't have a food processor, you can grate the whole head with a cheese grater*. Place the riced cauliflower into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 8 minutes (some microwaves are more powerful than others, so you may need to reduce this cooking time). There is no need to add water, as the natural moisture in the cauliflower is enough to cook itself. One large head should produce approximately 3 cups of riced cauliflower. The remainder can be used to make additional pizza crusts immediately, or can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Note: You'll want to squeeze out any excess moisture from the cauliflower, even if doesn't look like it has any after cooking. I did this by putting it in a thick paper towel then pressing into a fine mesh strainer. Cheesecloth would also work.

To Make the Pizza Crust:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray (I used parchment paper, go this route if you have it). In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup cauliflower, egg, mozzarella and Parmesan. Add oregano, crushed garlic and garlic salt; stir. Transfer to the cookie sheet, and using your hands, pat out into a 9" round (make sure to get it really thin!). Optional: Brush olive oil over top of mixture to help with browning. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. To the crust, add sauce, toppings and cheese. Place under a broiler at high heat just until cheese is melted (approximately 3-4 minutes). Enjoy!

Note: Some reviewers reported a soggy crust, it will definitely be soft but should not be soggy. I therefore followed the suggestion of flipping the crust over with about 3 minutes left in the baking time, this was easy for me to do using parchment paper since it didn't stick at all, and I was able to kind of roll up one side and flip it. I did this with the first crust I made but not the second, there wasn't a huge difference but the first was a little better.

Deep Dish Pizza

I'm a crispy, thin crust pizza kinda girl, but my husband LOVES deep dish. Its not what I think of when I want pizza, I think because it seems more casserole or pie-like versus a delicious crispy crust traditional version. So this was my first foray into deep dish-making, and this recipe almost has me converted. I was a little concerned about how long the recipe looked, but rest assured most of it is just the dough prep...which let's be honest, I never make my own dough. I might start though because its worth it! I really, really loved how this dough came out.

We made two batches of this dough, and created the deep dish pizza seen here as well as a regular pizza. The crust worked beautifully for both - it has a light, biscuit-y kind of texture, that when baked up also became kind of crispy so I was for sure a fan. My only change to this recipe was to add in Italian sausage between the mozzarella and the sauce, which I do recommend! Oh, and definitely don't try to shortcut and use a canned sauce, this pie needs a chunky, homemade one :)

Recipe from Pennies on a Platter

For the dough:
1 1/2 cups + 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/8 tsp. instant yeast
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. water, at room temperature
1 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened


For the sauce:
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. grated onion
Pinch of dried oregano
1/4 tsp.salt
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 (14.5 oz) can petite-diced tomatoes
Pinch of sugar
2 Tbsp. chopped basil leaves
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
Ground black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste


For assembling and topping:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
8 ounces Mozzarella, shredded (about 2 cups)
½ lb. Italian sausage, cooked, drained and crumbled
1/4 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about 2 tablespoons)


To make the dough:
Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer, until well blended. Attach the dough hook and mix in the water and melted butter on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to medium-low and knead until the dough is glossy and smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes. Coat a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl, turning once to coat with oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled, about 45 to 60 minutes.
Once dough is risen, turn it out onto a dry work surface and roll into an 8- x 6-inch rectangle. To laminate the dough, spread the softened butter over the surface, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Starting at the short end, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. With the seam side down, flatten the cylinder into a 9- x 2-inch rectangle, then fold into thirds like a business letter. Pinch the seams to form a ball, and return to the oiled bowl. Cover tightly again with plastic wrap and let rise in the refrigerator for 40 to 50 minutes.   


Meanwhile, prepare the sauce:
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the onion, oregano and salt. Saute until the liquid has nearly evaporated and the onion is golden brown, stirring often, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and sugar, then increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture just to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer until reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the basil and oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.


Assemble and top the pizza: Preheat oven to 425˚F. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with olive oil. Move the dough to a dry work surface and roll out into a 13-inch disk about 1/4-inch thick. Carefully transfer the dough to the pan and lightly press to line the bottom of the pan and 1 inch up the sides. If the dough resists stretching, wait 5 minutes before trying again. Sprinkle the shredded Mozzarella over the surface of the dough, then layer the sauce over the cheese. Top with Parmesan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until crust is golden brown. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

 Note: You can prep the dough ahead of time, and store in the fridge overnight or even freeze.

No Recipe Needed - Pita Pizzas

Whole wheat pitas spread with a little olive oil and any toppings you choose... quick, easy, and everyone gets to make their own!