You will notice that the title and method below have quotation marks around the word "Crust". That is because it really isn't a crust. A crust is a hard, crispy covering or surface, usually made from bread. This alternative pizza "crust" is not crispy or hard. It is delicious in it's own way, but I do not want to deceive you, it drives me crazy when people give you gluten free alternatives and they say "Oh it tastes just like the real thing." i call BS.
You could always cook these "crusts" at a much higher heat (425-550 degrees Fahrenheit) like every other recipe in order to get a crispier "crust", but then it would denature the nutrients in the delicious zucchini and any other vegetables that you add to your pizza. Check out Smoke points For Oils for more information.By paying attention to the temperatures at which you cook your food, can make your whole foods dishes that much more nutrient dense.
4 cups zucchini shredded
1/3 cup almond flour
3 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoons chili flakes
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup organic medium gouda
1 organic egg
Sea salt and fresh pepper
Method:
Preheat oven 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Makes 2- 7” pizzas
Using a food processor with the shredding blade, or a hand shredder, shred the zucchini and place it into a bowl.Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of sea salt over the shredded zucchini and allow to stand for 15 minutes. This helps remove excess water from the zucchini. Meanwhile, in another bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredient except for the egg.
Super important part: After 15 minutes, squeeze all of the water out of the shredded zucchini and add it to the rest of the ingredients.
Whisk your egg and add it to the bowl as well. Toss everything together and let stand for 1 minute.
Divide the zucchini mixture into 2 round pizzas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 30 minutes.
I am so happy to say that these freeze beautifully after they have been cooked. Once they have cooled, you can either build your own pizza and then freeze it or you can just freeze the patty's on their own. Layer the zucchini "crusts" between parchment paper and add them to a large zip lock bag, suck all of the air out of the bag and freeze.
Basic cooking instructions for Pizza's with toppings; bake them at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes.
Cook Outside the Box:
I do not give a recipe for the toppings purposely. You can add whatever you like to these gluten free zucchini pizza "crusts".
I love to add homemade pesto or chimichurri sauce, caramelized onions, organic cheese and some delicious pancetta, finished with a little drizzle of raw honey. Yum!
Make little baby zucchini "crusts" and turn them into delicious appetizers for your next dinner party. Add some bruschetta on top and voila! A simple and delicious whole foods appetizer.
They would also be delicious in your kids lunch box with cooked organic sausage and yummy organic cheese. They could make their own little mini pizzas at school!
Serve the mini version of these at room temperature with a yummy spread, like Raw Cashew Dip or Homemade Yogurt Cheese.
Bon Appétit!