If the very thought of a pizza base made of cauliflower sends you laughing hysterically to the nearest pizzeria, I implore you to give it a go!  I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Ingredients

(makes two bases)

2 cups riced cauliflower

2 cups shredded cheese – I use a combination of mozzarella and Parmesan

2 eggs lightly beaten

2 tsp dried oregano

2 cloves crushed garlic

pinch salt.

Olive oil for brushing

Method:

To Rice a Cauliflower:  roughly chop a whole head of cauliflower and pulse in your food processor until it looks like rice.  Be careful not to make it too processed and paste like. You can grate the cauliflower if you don’t have a food processor.  You need to cook the cauliflower rice, so either cover and pop it in the microwave for around 10 minutes, or cook over a medium heat with a little oil in a fry pan.  The natural water in the cauliflower will help it soften.  A whole head of cauliflower usually yields around 3 or 4 cups, so either adjust the other ingredients up if you want to use it all, or simply bag and freeze the leftovers.  The ‘rice’ is also a great substitute for real rice.  Just heat it through and serve as a side dish. Cauliflower is naturally sweet – it really is delicious!

Pizza Base: 

1. Preheat your oven to around 200-220 degrees.  Lightly grease 2 baking trays or line with grease proof paper. (it will stick, so the paper will help)
2. In a big bowl, mix the cauliflower, egg and cheese until combined.
3. Add the oregano, garlic and salt and mix some more.
4. Using a serving spoon or your hands, scoop out half the mix and place on the prepared trays.
5. Use your hands to shape the mix (it will be quite wet) into whatever shape base you like. A thinner crust will be crisper than a thick one.
6. If you like, you can brush the top with olive oil (I find the oils in the cheese mean you can skip this step.)
7. Bake for around 15-20 minutes until the base is golden.

Top with simple toppings as the base isn’t strong enough to hold really substantial ingredients.  I like the simple tomato, mozzarella and basil.
Just top and place under the grill until golden (remembering the base is cooked, so you’re just melting the topping cheese and re-heating.)

Eating with a knife and fork will be easier than attempting to use hands – the base can be soft.  The second time I made this, I cooked the base a little longer and that did make a difference in it’s firmness and ease of eating.

Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Want more gluten free recipes? Go HERE!