Try this Cauliflower Pizza Bites recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 48.7069000046174 g
- Cholesterol 1.89000000159771 mg
- Fat 2.11650000061246 g
- Fiber 14.2519997798127 g
- Protein 6.477400001161 g
- Saturated Fat 0.470760000244983 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (527g)
- Sodium 125.830000098526 mg
- Sugar 34.4549002248047 g
- Trans Fat 0.828940000069234 g
- Calories 169 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Pulse cauliflower in a food processor until the florets have broken down into crumbs, resembling a rice like consistency.
- Transfer cauliflower rice to a microwavable bowl and loosely cover with a paper towel.
- Microwave on high for 5 minutes.
- Once the cauliflower rice has cooled, transfer to a dish cloth (you may want to do this in two batches) and squeeze out as much of the juice as possible.
- Transfer the dried cauliflower to another dry dish cloth and squeeze again to ensure you have gotten as much of the juice out as possible.
- Transfer the dried cauliflower to a bowl and mix in the egg, Parmesan cheese and seasoning.
- Spray a mini cupcake pan with nonstick cooking spray and pour add a tablespoon of the mixture to each cavity.
- Use your thumb to press down into the middle to create a dip in each cauliflower base.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove pan from the oven and add some pizza sauce to each cauliflower base along with a little cheese and some mini pepperonis.
- Return to oven to bake for 10 minutes or until cheese has fully melted.
Removing excess water from raw brassicas determines whether these miniature crusts hold their shape or dissolve into mush. Cauliflower contains high amounts of internal cellular moisture that must be actively forced out through thermal disruption and mechanical pressure. Pulse the raw florets in a food processor until the pieces resemble fine grains of rice, then microwave them for five minutes to rupture the remaining cell walls and release trapped liquids.
Achieving Structural Integrity
Transfer the steamed vegetable matter to a clean dish cloth only after letting it cool slightly, because trapping steam inside will reintroduce moisture. Squeezing the cloth forcefully forces out the bulk of the liquid, but repeating this process with a second dry cloth removes the stubborn residual water that ruins crispness. Pressing the resulting dry mixture into a mini cupcake pan and baking at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes creates a firm foundation before toppings are added. Scaling this formulation up for larger groups requires working in small batches during the cloth-wringing stage, since piling too much vegetable matter into one towel prevents adequate pressure application.
- Bake the initial bases until golden brown at the 20-minute mark to ensure structural rigidity.
- Add the mozzarella and mini pepperonis only during the final 10 minutes to prevent burning.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
