What's For Dinner: Margherita Pizza with a Cauliflower Crust

I really don't like cauliflower. I think it's a waste of space on a raw veggie tray (though if it's the only option, I will slather it in veggie dip and eat it. I mean, I don't want to starve or anything). And cooked cauliflower? That is not a good smell. However, I put my hatred aside for a quick minute the other day when I finally decided to give cauliflower pizza crust a whirl. I've seen this gluten-free option all across the blog world, so figured I might as well jump on the bandwagon (four years later) to see what all the fuss is about.

Well, in our household, the cauliflower pizza crust earned a definite "meh"rating. D was not a fan, while I tolerated it (enough to finish off the leftovers the next day). Obviously, it tastes nothing like your typical flourlicious pizza crust, but it didn't taste particularly cauliflower-y, either. If anything, it reminded me of the time I made a polenta pizza crust a few years back, if only by its mushy texture (wow, I'm really selling this, aren't I?) alone. The best part of this pizza for me was the made-from-scratch margherita sauce and of course generous amounts of mozzarella cheese. I think I would for sure re-make this pizza sauce. The crust? The jury's still out on that one. Maybe if someone gifted me with a head of cauliflower. But given that such a scenario is highly unlikely, I think it'll be a while before I give this option a whirl again.

Margherita Pizza with a Cauliflower Crust (printer-friendly version)
makes 8 slices

For the crust: (adapted from this Tasty Kitchen recipe)
1 head cauliflower, rinsed, dried, and chopped into florets
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1 egg

For the margherita sauce: (adapted from this Splendid Table recipe)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1 can whole peeled tomatoes
pinch salt
pinch freshly ground pepper

Pizza toppings:
1/3 cup packed fresh basil leaves, rinsed and dried
3 ounces fresh mozzarella (in liquid), thinly sliced
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper and salt

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Add the olive oil to a medium-size sauce pot and heat over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and saute until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, dried oregano, and dried parsley and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Carefully stir in the peeled tomatoes and crush them with a wooden spoon. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, while stirring, for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Once thickened, remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Add the chopped cauliflower florets to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the cauliflower turns into powdery granules.
4. Place the powdered cauliflower into a microwave-safe bowl, cover, and cook for 4 minutes. Pour the cauliflower out onto a tea towel and let cool for a few minutes. Once cooled to the touch, carefully wrap the towel around the cauliflower and wring over a sink to remove the excess liquid.
5. Transfer the cauliflower into a large bowl. Stir in the Parmesan, salt, dried basil, dried oregano, garlic powder, herbes de Provence, and egg. Stir to combine.
6. Dump the dough mixture out onto a lightly-oiled sheet of parchment paper. Use your fingers to pat the "dough" into a circle, about 10-12 inches in width.
7. Transfer the parchment paper (and crust, obviously!) into the preheated oven. Bake until golden brown, about 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven.
8. Top the baked crust with the margherita sauce and your favorite toppings -- I used slices of fresh mozzarella and fresh basil leaves drizzled with olive oil and topped with a dash of freshly ground black pepper.
9. Place the pizza back into the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 5-10 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.