Cauliflower & Almond Flour Pizza Base [ Dairy Free, Gluten free, Grains free, Sugar Free)

While the traditional cauliflower base pizza offers an amazing alternative to the flour and grain filled home made or fast food pizza, often, many struggle with the consistency, relying on egg alone to bind it.  Having tried many variations to the cauliflower based, and tapioca flour pizza bases, many times with egg and chia flour to make a soft, pliable cauliflower dough, the baking of the base does not always yield consistent results.  It is either too dry, often with burned edges or sometimes too wet, with the middle still uncooked.  Pre-baking the base before adding the toppings is a must.

This recipe is a culmination of trying and testing various methods and one that provides a fabulously soft and chewy pizza base.  Steaming the cauliflower before mixing with the almond flour, to create a dough-like consistency works well in this recipe.

The sauce used in this recipe is a home based onion, tomato, basil, Himalayan salt and black pepper, green chilli and tomato puree mixture, cooked, then pureed in a blender.  Toppings will vary according to your taste.

Ingredients

Florets from 1 small-medium sized fresh cauliflower
3/4 cup almond flour
1 tbsp dried origanum
Himalayan or Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 egg, whisked

Optional:  A tsp of nutritional flakes added to the almond flour for a cheese-like taste.

Here’s How

• Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
• Coarsely chop the cauliflower, add to a food processor and blend until it is a fine rice-like texture.
• Measure 2-3 cups of the cauliflower ‘rice,  steam for about 15-20 minutes, remove and wring out the excess water in a clean kitchen towel ensuring that all the liquid is removed, it resembles a flour consistency, and add into a mixing bowl.
• Add the almond flour, nutritional yeast (if using), origanum and seasoning and mix with your hands.  Create a well in the middle and add the egg. Use your hands to pull the dry ingredients towards the middle until everything is combined and you can shape it into a ball. It should be more loose and sticky than a flour pizza dough.
• Transfer to the baking paper and form into a pizza base by flattening the dough with your hands. Make the edges slightly higher.

• Bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Meanwhile, prepare the pizza topping. Remove the base from the oven.

• Spread on the tomato sauce, and toppings of your choice, return to the oven to bake for 5-10 more minutes. Remove the pizza and serve.

Pre-baked base with toppings

Completely baked Pizza