Baked cauliflower pizzaiola

Baked cauliflower pizzaiola. Now there’s a recipe name that promises much. I mean pizza? What’s not to like. All those carbs. Cheesy goodness. Maybe a bit of sausage. Some pepperoni. Ground beef. A few strategically placed onions. A few mushrooms? Maybe, just to break things up a little. And of course some delicious sweet tomato sauce slathered all over the place.

Don’t remember anything about cauliflower though. Does Dominoes do that as an additional topping? Also I don’t remember spelling pizza with an ‘iola’ either. Something tells me this isn’t what I initially thought it might be…

No, of course this is  dish of healthy goodness. Healthsome olive oil. And the mozzarella was 35% reduced fat. The parmesan; well that’s from Italy or somesuch and they are into healthy things. The breadcrunbs were made from ciabatta which as we all know contains reverse calories.

In fact probably the unhealthiest element of this creation was the caulifower, because it came from England. Norfolk, probably.

Anyroad, to make Baked Cauliflower Pizzaiola you will need:

• a cauliflower. Now I have a beef with cauliflower. You buy a great big green leafy thing. You chop off all the unwanted leafy stuff and then you’re left with a crappy little white ball that you expected to be much bigger. So you could buy two cauliflowers. Or maybe an ‘extra large’ cauliflower, if they exist
• 20 or so cherry tomatoes
• 4 cloves garlic
• large bunch fresh basil
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 small ball mozzarella
• 1/4 cup parmesan
• 1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Heat the oven to 180 centrigrade. Trim the cauliflower and cut the head into 8 slices. Arrange in a baking dish and drizzle over olive oil.

Season then bake for 10 mins until the cauliflower starts to soften. Meanwhile cut the tomatoes in half, crush the garlic and roughly chop most of the basil. Arrange them around the cauliflower and then sprinkle over the oregano and chilli powder.

Put back in the oven for about 20 mins, until the tomatoes char a tad.

Tear up the mozzarella and push in between the cauliflower and tomatoes.

Combine the breadcrumbs and parmesan and sprinkle over. Return to the oven for 10 mins.

Once browned, sprinkle over some remaining basil. Serve with leaves, and some bread if you fancy.

Must say, not bad, not bad at all. Next time, bacon fat pie with double crust pastry.