Cast Iron Cauliflower Pesto Pizza
Recipe Information
Don’t order pizza tonight — you’re making homemade pizza! Plan to thaw the dough in advance and make the fresh pesto ahead of time (or grab a jar at the co-op) to make it even easier. Your cast iron skillet will give the crust a crispy bottom, and you can take it straight to the table, where it will keep the pizza warm as you eat.
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce ball frozen pizza dough
- 1/2 cup fresh basil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups cauliflower, chopped
- 4 ounces asiago cheese, shredded, divided
- 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
Preparation
- To make the pesto: In a food processor bowl, combine the basil, garlic, pine nuts and parmesan and process to a paste. Add salt, scrape down, and with the machine running, drizzle in two tablespoons of olive oil. Scrape into a cup; makes about ¼ cup. (NOTE: If you don’t want to make homemade pesto, you can use ¼ cup prepared pesto instead.)
- Preheat the oven to 425 F. Lightly oil a 12-inch cast iron skillet or a pizza pan. Pat out the dough to make a 12-inch round in the pan. Let rise in a warm spot in the kitchen for about 20 minutes.
- While the pizza crust rises, place the cauliflower in a sheet pan, drizzle with a tablespoon of the olive oil, and roast in the oven for 15 minutes. When the cauliflower is tender, remove from oven and let cool slightly.
- Spread the pesto on the crust, then top with cauliflower and cheese. Place cherry tomato halves evenly on the pizza, cut side up.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until the top is golden and the bottom is crisp. Serve hot.
570 calories, 24 g. fat, 20 mg. cholesterol, 1230 mg. sodium, 64 g. carbohydrate, 5 g. fiber, 25 g. protein