Cauliflower pizza recipe

Love pizza but hate the extra calories? Try this cauliflower pizza recipe. It was created by nutritionist Angelique Panagos, who encourages you to play around with this recipe and really make it your own. The ingredients can easily be switched to vegetarian or vegan options or varied by mood. Want gluten-free? Then gluten-free flour works as an excellent option in lieu of wholegrain.

 

Ingredients (serves 6)

For the pizza base:

140g cauliflower

150g wholegrain flour

¼tsp bicarbonate of soda

½tsp salt

1tsp baking powder

1 egg white

2tbsp olive oil

50ml water

¼ tsp paprika

For the pizza sauce:

30 large ripe red sweet tomatoes

6tbsp olive oil

3tsp salt

8 garlic cloves

1tsp black pepper

1 red chilli washed and seeded

20 fresh basil leaves

2 cups water

Boiled water, for blanching

Pizza toppings:

Pizza sauce (as above)

Sliced tomatoes

Sliced pepper

Grilled and sliced chicken breast

Mozzarella cheese

Method

To make the sauce:

Place the tomatoes in a large bowl or pot and cover with boiling water. Leave to stand for five to eight minutes until the skins soften.

Use a spoon to remove the tomatoes one by one, peeling each as you remove (if you allow them to cool, you will not be able to remove the skins!).

Chop the tomatoes into ½inch cubes.

Peel the garlic and use a garlic press to crush onto a side plate.

Wash the basil leaves and cut finely.

Pour the olive oil into a large saucepan and place on the stove on a medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and stir with a wooden spoon until golden.

Add the chopped tomatoes to the oil and garlic and turn the temperature to high.

Add the salt, black pepper, chilli and chopped basil. Half cover with a lid and leave to cook for approximately 30 minutes.

Add water, reduce the heat to medium and allow to simmer gently until the water has evaporated and it has a thick, sauce-like consistency.

Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly. If you’re making the sauce for another day, pour into a clean glass jar and allow to cool completely before refrigerating.

To make the ‘dough’:

Preheat your oven to 200°C.

Wash and remove the stalk from the cauliflower; shake to dry.

Place the cauliflower in a food processor and chop until it resembles rice.

In a mixing bowl, add the flour, cauliflower rice, bicarbonate of soda, salt, baking powder and paprika.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk one egg white, two tablespoons olive oil and 50ml water.

Make a well in the middle of the flour mix and add the egg white mixture.

Mix well to form a ‘dough’. This must not be dry, so add a little more water if needed.

Divide the pizza dough between two 10″ non-stick round baking trays; press the mixture into the tray and place in the oven to bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the bases from the oven, flip each base over and place on a rack to cool slightly. This cooling step helps to keep your base nice and crisp!

Spread a layer of sauce onto each base, sprinkle with toppings and return to the oven for a further five minutes. Always ensure your cooked meat is piping hot all the way through.

Serve with a green salad!

Recipe courtesy of nutritionist Angelique Panagos