Cauliflower-Crust Vegetarian Pizza with Mushrooms and Olives

Categories: Cauliflower, JULY2012, Pizza, SBF

Ingredients

• 1 cup finely chopped cauliflower (chop in food processor or grate with a cheese grater)
• 1/2 cup finely grated low-fat mozzarella cheese
• 5 T almond meal
• 3 T finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• Pizza Toppings:
• 1/4 cup low-sugar purchased pizza sauce
• 2-3 T finely grated mozzarella cheese
• 4 oz mushrooms, sliced and sauteed
• 1-2 tsp. olive oil, for sauteeing mushrooms
• 1/4 cup olives, sliced in half (or more)

Directions

1. Turn on the oven or grill, place the pizza stone inside (if using), and preheat grill or oven to 450F/230C. (If you don’t have a pizza stone I might let the temperature get slightly higher.)

2. Use a food processor or the large side of a cheese grater to finely chop the cauliflower, until it resembles small kernels of rice. Put the cauliflower into a bowl and microwave until it’s cooked through and soft, about 7-8 minutes. (Don’t add water; the cauliflower will release moisture.)

3. While the cauliflower cooks, slice the mushrooms, heat the oil in a large frying pan, and saute mushrooms until they’re soft and cooked through. Slice olives in half lengthwise. (If you don’t have finely grated Mozzarella, I would buzz it a few times in the food processor so it’s more finely grated.)

4. In a small bowl, combine the cooked cauliflower, 1/2 cup finely grated low-fat mozzarella, almond meal, Parmesan cheese, dried oregano, garlic powder, and salt. Beat the egg with a fork and then mix it into the other ingredients, combining them well.

5. Spray a heavy cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Form the crust ingredients into a ball and place on the cookie sheet, then use your fingers to form the crust, spreading it out as thin as you can get it. Put the cookie sheet on the pizza stone in the oven or on the grill and cook with the door or lid shut until the crust is firm and lightly browned, about 13-15 minutes. (If you’re cooking the crust on the grill without a pizza stone, you will need to preheat the entire grill, then turn off one side and cook the pizza on that side, using indirect heat from the side that’s still turned on. This will probably add a little to the cooking time.)

6. When the crust is done, spread with pizza sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and arrange sauteed mushrooms and olives on top. Put pizza back on the grill to melt the cheese and warm the toppings, or turn the oven to broil and cook it under the broiler for about 3-4 minutes. Serve hot.

7. This reheats well, and is even good cold for breakfast!

Email to a friend | Print this recipe | Back