Italian Cauliflower Cheese Sticks

Cauliflower is the new black.

Thanks to Pinterest, cauliflower has gone from the bottom to the top of most grocery lists. I have never been a huge cauliflower fan myself, but after my successful Cilantro Cauliflower Rice recipe, I have turned over a new leaf. I am such a big advocate of getting more fruit and veggies into my family’s diet and if cauliflower is what it takes, then I am totally on board!

The last time my family went out to eat at our favorite pizza joint, I saw the couple at the table next to us chowing down on some incredible looking cheese sticks. From that night on, I’ve been craving them. Problem is…I’m gluten intolerant and I have yet to find a restaurant or grocery store that makes anything but gluten-free pizza.

So what’s a girl to do but make her own! I decided to put a bit of a healthy, low-carb spin on them and ended up with a super easy and delicious recipe that the whole family enjoyed.

To start, you’ll need 1 organic cauliflower head, 4 eggs, 1.5 cup buffalo mozzarella, 1/4 cup grated pecorino romano, 1/4 cup shredded manchego cheese (or cheddar), 1 Tablespoon Italian spices, 1 teaspoon chopped garlic, salt and pepper, cheesecloth (or linen towel) and a pizza stone (or cookie sheet) and parchment paper.

Start by pre-heating the oven to 375° with your pizza stone or cookie sheet inside. Next, rinse and dry your cauliflower head and chop off all the florets. Throw all the florets in a food processor and pulse or blend for 15 seconds. At this point, your cauliflower should resemble rice.

Transfer your cauliflower rice to a microwave-safe bowl and cover. Cook for 8-10 minutes, then uncover and let cool. While the cauliflower is cooking & cooling, mix 2 eggs, 2 egg whites, 1.5 cups buffalo mozarella, Italian spices, garlic and salt & pepper in a large bowl.

Lay out your cheesecloth or towel and place the cauliflower in the center. Wrap it up tightly and then squeeze the excess water out of the cauliflower and into a measuring cup. Aim to get about 1/3-1/2 cup of water out of the cauliflower. The dryer the better. Transfer cauliflower to large bowl and use hands to mix everything together well.

Carefully remove pizza stone or sheet out of the oven and place parchement paper on top. Using a spoon, place mixture on top of paper and form into a circle, making sure to fill all holes. Place back into oven and cook for about 22 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and top with remaining cheese. For cow-dairy free, you can use more buffalo mozzarella, pecorino romano and/or manchego cheese. I used all of these plus a little bit of cheddar just to get some color. Place back in oven and bake for another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown. (You can use the broiler here if you like your cheese well done).

Let cool and then serve with your favorite marinara sauce!

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