Gluten-Free Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Cauliflower flour, made by processing cauliflower and squeezing the water out…it's bound to be something pretty important in the near future. This stuff is like magic. You could never imagine that cauliflower could be transformed into a believable pizza crust. If you'd bet me money, I'd have thought it would fail, but then there I was eating a pizza with a crust made of cauliflower. It's bready and it's real!

So why go though all the trouble when regular old flour's waiting right there in the cabinet? For some, a gluten-free diet is a necessity, so we like to contribute to the cause when we can. For us personally, it's novel, an interesting cooking challenge. Plus, it's kind of fun to follow food trends when you develop recipes as often as we do -- it keeps things fresh. 

This is not a gluten-free house, by any means; we're not too strict about it. We still enjoy a real pizza or a sandwich on some great crusty French bread now and again. Let's just say we've cut back our gluten intake, which seems right and feels great. After all, like Thomas Jefferson said, "In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock."

Gluten-Free Cauliflower Pizza Crust

1 medium head of cauliflower
2 large eggs (beaten)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper (to taste)
1 teaspoon olive oil
Pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings of your choice

Remove the leaves and the end of the stem from the cauliflower. Wash, dry, and roughly chop it. In two batches, place the cauliflower into the work bowl of your food processor and grind it into a fine "sand." Place the processed cauliflower into the center of a clean kitchen towel and onto a microwave-safe plate. Microwave the cauliflower for 3 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Wring the water from the cauliflower by gathering the ends of the kitchen towel and turning the ball of processed cauliflower. Place the squeezed cauliflower into a large mixing bowl. You should have about 2 cups after it's processed and squeezed.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Throughly mix in the eggs, parmesan, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper until a dough-like ball forms. Line a pizza pan with a sheet of parchment paper and brush with the olive oil. Press the dough out into a 12-inch circle while keeping your fingers moist to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands. Make sure the edges are smooth; this is not only more attractive, but it'll help it stay together. 

Place the crust in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the crust, bump the oven up to 425, add your sauce and toppings, and bake for about 7 minutes or until the cheese has melted on top.