“I can sense you are scratching your head at this one,” says Lisa Roukin in her debut book – My Relationship with Food, “but trust me, it works and is absolutely delicious!”
And we can vouch for that.
Cauliflower Pizza Base with Blue Cheese, Pear & Walnuts
Makes: 8 – 10 inch pizza
Preparation time: 60 mins
Cooking time: 28-30 mins
Ingredients
- 1 medium cauliflower head
- 70g grated mozzarella cheese
- (50g for the crust 20g for the topping)
- 1 egg, beaten
- garlic granules
Topping
- 1 pear, thinly sliced
- 20g walnuts
- 50g blue cheese, crumbled
- olive oil, mild
Garnish
- rocket leaves
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Preheat the oven to 400°F, gas mark 6, 200°C (180°C fan-assisted) and pre-line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Wash and thoroughly dry the cauliflower. Cut off the florets, you don’t need much stem, just stick with the florets. Pulse in your food processor for about 30 seconds, until you get powdery snow-like cauliflower.
- Place the cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl and cover, microwave for 4 minutes or steam. When cooked, place onto a clean tea towel and allow to cool.
- Now wrap up the cauliflower in the tea towel and wring out all the liquid. Don’t be alarmed with what you have left! Place the cauliflower into a bowl.
- Add 50g of the grated mozzarella cheese.
- Beat the egg, season generously with sea salt, white pepper and garlic granules. Pour onto the cauliflower mixture and combine well.
- Now use your hands to form the ‘dough’ into a crust on your parchment paper (aim for about 8-10 inches/20cm-25cm).
- Pat it down thoroughly, you want it nice and tightly formed together, don’t make it too thick or thin either.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until it starts to turn golden brown. Remove from oven. Leave the base to cool for 5-10 minutes, then carefully turn the base over and place back on the tray.
- Drizzle a little olive oil and sea salt on the cauliflower base, then top with thinly sliced pear, scatter the blue cheese and walnuts.
- Season with a little black pepper and olive oil. Top with remaining grated mozzarella cheese and bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Garnish with rocket and serve.
LISA’S TIP
This is the best invention ever! Especially if you are following a gluten-free diet. Add whatever toppings you like! Who would have thought you could make a pizza base out of a vegetable! It’s so delicious, that you won’t think twice about wishing you made it with flour and yeast! And yes you can pick it up just like a real pizza!
www.myrelationshipwithfood.com
Image: My Relationship With Food by Lisa Roukin
