With Gluten-Free/Paleo/Ketogenic interest remaining at a fever pitch, it seems everyone is looking for terrific recipes with low/no carbs and no gluten. I myself am following the Ketogenic Diet; the older I get the more difficult it has become to lose weight and keep it off, damn it! (That gin has no carbs is a lifesaver.) But even if you couldn’t care less about avoiding gluten, today’s recipe — homemade pizza with a homemade cauliflower crust — is a mind-blowing must try. I’ll say ‘damn it’ one more time because this pizza is so damn good.
I owe this stunner to my wonderful friend Jeff, an amazing chef who constantly teaches me about cooking. He stumbled onto the recipe, perfected it and encouraged me to give it a try. Jeff and his husband Owen, btw, are in the ‘could care less’ about avoiding gluten camp. In fact, they eat more gluten than any people I’ve ever met… and yet both are annoyingly super slender. I’ll say “damn it” one more time in envy. Fortunately I love them too much to stay very annoyed.
Other than one caveat in the next paragraph, this is a very easy recipe anyone can master. Those who follow the blog know I am not a baker and avoid anything resembling dough at all cost. I tried making my own homemade pizzas with dough a few times; what came out of the oven looked a lot more like amoebas than pizza. So if I can do this, you can too. And you will make it over and over and over again. I’ve been making these pizzas at least twice a week as of late, often more. This doesn’t so much replicate pizza exactly but gives you a new twist that is healthy, extremely tasty and gets crispy just like good thin crust pizza.
The one caveat? It involves a purchase. I don’t think I’ve ever suggested buying anything on this blog, save once giving a shoutout to buying a cast iron skillet, which is very cheap, will change your life, will pass on to the next generation and is also very effective if you have a home invasion. For this easy cauliflower crust to work, however, a very particular pizza stone is needed:
This remarkable piece of equipment is $89 dollars. Trust me. If you like pizza of any kind, this metal pizza steel will live in your oven 24/7 and you will use it constantly. It has many other uses than this cauliflower pizza, from regular pizza to creating incredible pie crusts. But I guarantee you will make this cauliflower pizza all the time.
You can get the steel at bakingsteel.com, a wonderful company run by incredibly nice people with terrific customer service. Trust me, you will not be disappointed. Click here to check out the steel.
Interest piqued? Here’s how you do it.
CAULIFLOWER PIZZA CRUST
(for a basic pepperoni pizza)
Equipment
parchment paper
Pizza Peel (optional but makes it ridiculously easy. Click here for a cheap one.)
Ingredients (for a basic pepperoni pizza)
Crust
1 large beaten egg
2 oz powder fine Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (or Pecorino Romano)
8 oz. riced cauliflower
Note: Trader Joe’s sells bags of fresh riced cauliflower. Fresh is a must as you want the natural water that remains in the vegetable. Also, it’s a very good idea to weigh the cheese and cauliflower rice if you want this to turn out perfectly.
Pizza
approx. 2/3 cup pizza sauce
4 oz grated Fontina or Mozzarella cheese (Fontina works wonders here)
Pepperoni slices
Note: Trader Joe’s sells a pretty terrific pizza sauce but I love making my own, see recipe below.
Directions
On the center rack of your oven, preheat your steel at 450 degrees for a minimum of 45 minutes. This is a must to get the crust just right. As Jeff says, your finished crust will thank you for your patience.
In a bowl, combine the beaten egg and the cheese to form a paste. Add the riced cauliflower and any seasoning. (I always add about 1/2 t of both salt and pepper, and often some fresh thyme leaves and/or a sprinkle of cracked red pepper.) Mix well. To insure an even consistency, use your hands towards the end and squish it all up really well. Jeff calls this ‘cooking therapy’ and it is indeed fun.
Mound all the mixture onto a piece of parchment paper. (I make this directly on my pizza peel.) Using your fingers and your palms, press down onto the mound, slowly spreading it out into an evenly thick round shell approximately 10.5 inches in diameter. EVEN is key here. Remember, if I can do this, you can do this. Make sure it is all connected with no gaps.
Slide the parchment onto the baking steel and roast for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
(You can make the crust hours in advance. Once cool, just cover with foil or wrap. I usually do this when I am going to make more than one pizza. Just make sure the steel has been preheated again before making the actual pizza.)
*While the crust is baking or cooling, place your pepperoni slices on two layers of paper towels, cover with two more and put in the microwave for 50 seconds. This is a genius trick from Jeff. It removes a lot of grease from the pepperoni you don’t want watering down the pizza and ensures terrifically crisp pepperoni on your finished pizza.
When the crust has cooled, top your crust with 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup pizza sauce. Sprinkle evenly with 4 oz of grated Fontina cheese. Lay as many slices of pepperoni as you want, covering the cheese. Slide the pizza back on the baking steel and roast 10-12 minutes, until the top is to your liking.
Remove from the oven and, if desired, top with chopped herbs and/or grated parmesan or pecorino romano. Slice and serve!
This is a basic recipe. The possibilities are endless. Pesto pizza, white pizza, any toppings you like, go crazy! You will thank Jeff. You will thank the Baking Steel company. You will thank me.
LOVELY TOMATO SAUCE
This sauce is perfect for many uses. I love it so much I eat it with a spoon. One of its many uses is as a terrific pizza sauce. I always double it. It freezes beautifully and you can always use a good tomato sauce.
Ingredients
2 T olive oil
1 small onion finely minced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
One 28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes, pureed
2 T chopped herbs: basil, thyme, oregano, whatever you like
One T butter
Directions
Combine oil and onion in a large saucepan and cook over medium-low until the onion is softening. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring, until the onion is soft and the garlic is golden but not brown.
Add the tomatoes, stir to blend and simmer, uncovered, stirring every few minutes for 15 minutes. Add the herbs and continue to cook until the sauce thickens. Salt and pepper to taste.
When the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency, add the pad of butter and stir to incorporate.
If you want an incredibly smooth sauce, you can process in a blender, food processor or with an immersion blender. Enjoy.