Cauliflower Pizza Crust

I've been testing out gluten free pizza crusts for months and I've come across a variation of the popular cauliflower crust that I liked. I also had good success with a quinoa crust that I will post later on. Keep in mind when making this, it won't turn out hard and crispy like a thin crust because cauliflower doesn't behave like flour. The addition of parmesan into the 'dough' gives it some good texture but this is a softer shell that sets up better if you transfer it immediately to a cooling rack when it comes out of the oven. Instead of using a traditional marinara, I made a roasted red pepper cashew sauce that is very similar but higher in nutrition and lower in acid. You could use that same sauce on a regular pizza shell of course, and on pasta, lasagna and as a sandwich spread or salad dressing. 

Squeezing the water out and allowing the cauliflower pulp to drain gives you the best results for a dry crust. If you skip this step, it turns out wet and soggy and falls apart.

You will get about a half cup of water from one head of cauliflower, which is excellent if you aren't making it this way. That water is rich in nutrients and minerals and shows you how much water you get from your vegetables. You could save it an add it to the red pepper cashew sauce or freeze it and add it to a soup or dressing later on.

The 'dough' is pretty soft in the beginning and takes a little shaping. You could form it into a square or a round or an oval at this point. It isn't going to rise or spread like flour, so it will retain whatever shape you make before you bake it.

It looks nice and golden brown and crisp around the edges when it's done. Pre-baking the crust makes it firmer and releases the flavors of the herbs and seasoning in the 'dough'.

Topped with your favorite ingredients and baked just like pizza, it's crispy and brown on the edges and smells heavenly like roasted vegetables! Transfer it to a cooling rack a few minutes after it comes out in order to let the crust set up underneath. Gently slide it off of the parchment onto your rack.

 You could totally make this vegan by omitting the parmesan in the crust and replacing the egg with a flax egg (soak 1 tablespoon of whole flax seed in enough water to create a goo) You can substitute the melted mozzarella with an artisan nut cheese or daiya or anything else that you enjoy with your toppings. Make it customized for you and your guests. This recipe is easy to double and cauliflower is pretty cheap, so you can totally make more than one of these at once. Serve it with a nice tossed salad and you have a delicious, gluten free spread for dinner!


CAULIFLOWER PIZZA CRUST
1 head of organic cauliflower
1|4 teaspoon sea salt
1 T nutritional yeast
1 T olive oil

1 T almond meal or almond flour
1|2 garlic powder
a big pinch of dried basil and oregano
1|4 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Blanch the florets in hot water for about a minute, then drain and cool. Pulse them in a food processor until it resembles rice or coarse meal. Transfer to a thin dish towel or cloth napkin. Squeeze out the excess water into a measuring cup if you are going to save and use it, or over the sink if you aren't. Turn out the cauliflower into a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Spread out a piece of parchment paper inside of a sheet pan and spray it down with cooking oil. Form your 'dough' into the shape of your pizza, about 1|4 inch thick all the way around. Bake it for 10-15 minutes or until you see the top and edges start to brown. Remove it from the oven and set it aside. Gather your sauce and your toppings.

ROASTED RED PEPPER CASHEW MARINARA
1|2 cup raw cashews
1 red bell pepper, roasted over an open flame and seeded
or 1|4 cup roasted red pepper strips from a jar
dash of salt + garlic powder
1 T nutritional yeast
juice from 1|2 lemon
a little water or the reserved cauliflower liquid

DIRECTIONS
Put the cashews and a little liquid into the food processor to get it started into a coarse paste. Add the remaining ingredients and the rest of the liquid until it becomes smooth and sauce like in consistency.
You're ready to build your pizza. Top the cooled crust with your sauce and your toppings. Sprinkle with cheese and return it to the oven for another 10 minutes or so. Watch it closely and when everything is beginning to brown and becomes fragrant, you're done!

ENJOY!