Why This Ingredient Is Special
Pizza Dough with Broccoli Rice: Preheat the oven with an upturned heavy baking tray at 220 °C top/bottom heat. Wash and dry the broccoli, pulse it in a food processor to rice-grain size (don't puree). Sweat it…
Ingredients
- fresh broccoli (peeled500 g
- tender stem included)
- 2 medium eggs
- grated mozzarella120 g
- finely grated parmesan40 g
- fine oats (finely ground)40 g
- salt1/2 tsp
- oregano1/2 tsp
- garlic powder1/2 tsp
- black pepper
- olive oil for brushing1 tsp
- thick tomato sauce for the topping80 g
- grated mozzarella for the topping100 g
- well-drained toppings of choiceat most 100-150 g
Method
- Preheat the oven with an upturned heavy baking tray at 220 °C top/bottom heat.
- Wash and dry the broccoli, pulse it in a food processor to rice-grain size (don't puree).
- Sweat it uncovered in a pan for 4-5 minutes until it loses visible steam.
- Let it cool for 5 minutes, then wring it out repeatedly in a clean kitchen towel (500 g broccoli leaves about 280-330 g dry mass).
- Knead together with the eggs, mozzarella, parmesan, ground oats and spices.
- Press onto oiled parchment paper into a 28-30 cm circle, 5-6 mm thick in the center and slightly thicker at the rim.
- Pre-bake on the hot tray for 18-22 minutes until the rim is deep golden brown; for an extra-firm base, flip it carefully after about 18 minutes and bake 4 more minutes without the parchment.
- Top thinly with tomato sauce and well-drained toppings, sprinkle with cheese and finish baking for 7-10 minutes.
- Rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
Substitutions
Replace ground oats 1:1 with breadcrumbs (gluten-free: use gluten-free oats or 30 g cornstarch, which makes the base more compact). Replace mozzarella with young gouda, which browns more strongly. Replace the eggs with 20 g ground flaxseed plus 60 ml water (let it swell for 10 minutes) — the base will be softer and should definitely be flipped after pre-baking. With frozen broccoli: thaw completely, drain even more thoroughly, and use only 400 g since it holds more water. Broccoli can be replaced 1:1 with cauliflower, but that explicitly makes a cauliflower crust, not this broccoli recipe.
Common Mistakes
Base stays soft: the broccoli was too wet, the circle too thick, or the topping too moist — press harder and shape thinner next time. Base sticks: oil the parchment lightly and only flip once the surface is dry and the rim is browned. Base breaks: pre-bake longer before topping, and rest for 5 minutes after the final bake. Broccoli flavor too dominant: use more oregano and parmesan, plus a well-seasoned, thick tomato sauce.
Storage
The pre-baked, untopped base keeps 2 days refrigerated or 2 months frozen (bake from frozen at 200 °C for about 8 minutes, then top). Use fully topped leftovers within 2 days.