Music of the spheres!


Is outer space really the silent and lifeless place it's often depicted to be? Perhaps not. Astrophysicist and musician Matt Russo takes us on a journey through the cosmos, revealing the hidden rhythms and harmonies of planetary orbits. The universe is full of music, he says -- we just need to learn how to hear it.

Making Pizza Dough Out Of Cauliflower Is A Delicious Revelation

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Behold the Cauliflower Pizza: serve it up Di Fara style with cut basil. (Jen Carlson/Gothamist)
Did you know you can make a lower carb, healthier pizza crust almost entirely out of cauliflower? You can, and this weekend we tried it. There are a ton of recipes online, but it all comes down to two versions: one that uses shredded mozzarella in the dough, and one that does not. We tried the one that does not... and it was delicious.
First things first: yes, it works. It's more delicate, but the dough will not fall apart. Do not be afraid! You just need to make sure you have cheesecloth to wring all of the water out of the cauliflower—if you do not do this, it will not work. It's also not as time-consuming or as complicated as you might think—here's how to do it:
Cauliflower "Flour" Ingredients
  • 1 head of cauliflower (we used a medium sized one and it was more than enough)
  • 1 egg
  • A dollop of goat cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated parm (or more!)
  • Salt, pepper, and any other seasoning or herb you want in the dough
  • Garlic or garlic powder

Suggested Toppings
  • Fresh mozzarella
  • Sliced tomatoes (or tomato sauce)
  • Basil
  • More parm, to sprinkle on top
Instructions
First, grind up the cauliflower in your food processor. Don't have a food processor? That's fine, you can use a box grater, though it will take more time.
Next, cook the cauliflower—you can heat it up in your microwave for 5 minutes, or cook it (for that same amount of time) with a little bit of water in a pot or pan. After it cools (you can put it in the fridge to speed along this process) place it into a piece of cheesecloth and wring every last drop of water out of it. This is important!
Now you have a nice ball of dry cauliflower "flour," which you will mix with one egg, a dollop of goat cheese, a half a cup or so of grated parm, and any seasoning you want. Honestly, once you have the egg and cauliflower in there, you don't have to be exact in what type or how much cheese to add.
Once that's done, form it into a pizza crust and bake at 425ºF for about 10 minutes (until it starts to get golden). Do this on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and WITHOUT any toppings.
Remove your dough from the oven and add your toppings (we recommend putting a little garlic powder on the dough before you start topping it—cauliflower has a pretty bland taste, so don't be afraid to season). Then return it to the oven to cook for another 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
Remove from the oven and try to let it cool for a couple of minutes before slicing it up. While it's cooling, get it into your head that this will not taste like your standard pizza dough (duh)... but it IS very good. We served ours up Di Fara style, by cutting basil on top and tossing it on to a paper plate.