Pizza Cavolfiore

I picked up a beautiful, locally grown cauliflower. What to make with it? Maybe soup - I've been constantly in the mood for soup since it has gotten colder here in NJ. I know - cauliflower pizza, yes, definitely cauliflower pizza in the style of Grandaisy Bakery. Thin crust, gruyere cheese, roasted cauliflower, bread crumbs, and fresh parsley. In an attempt to replicate the popular pizza cavolfiore at the Grandaisy Bakery in New York City, I came up with this rendition:

Pizza Dough

1 tablespoon instant yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 cups warm water

4 cups bread flour

1 tseaspoon kosher salt

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, stir in the yeast, sugar, and water with a spoon. Slowly add the flour, with the mixer on low. Add the salt and knead the dough at speed 2 until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl and clings to the dough hook. Remove the dough from the mixer (it should be smooth and only very slightly tacky) and place in a well oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm area to rise. Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down. Recover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Roasted Cauliflower

1 large cauliflower washed and cored

salt and fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons of olive oil

Slice the cauliflower florets away from the head into small pieces. Place on a baking sheet (in a single layer), toss with the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees until lightly browned (approx 30 minutes).

Prepare the Pizza

Press the dough ( I only used about 2/3rds of the dough) into a lightly oiled baking sheet. Brush the crust lightly with olive oil and let rise again. Top with shredded gruyere, the roasted cauliflower, and sprinkle with fresh toasted bread crumbs. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley. Serve with good olive oil.

The Reviews

My husband really liked it. My daughter not so much a fan... and I think that it was a valiant first attempt - with a little tweaking could be perfect. My crust stuck to the pan in spots. A little more gruyere would have been better... but it satisfied my craving for this pizza without an hour commute into the City!