Roasted Eggplant Pizza

This recipe was made on a whim.  I had bought an eggplant from the farmers market on Saturday with no real idea of how I wanted to use it.  I just knew that my husband likes eggplant and I had been slightly intimidated by them (probably from an unsuccessful stuffed eggplant recipe). And at least I knew that I had eggplant parmesan as a great backup recipe. So while I was perusing for inspiration, I found this roasted eggplant pizza recipe.  We love roasted vegetables and we love pizza. I was sold.

It was a good thing, too, because it was one of our favorite homemade pizzas so far! Partially thanks to a pizza dough recipe that my dad gave me, this pizza was fantastic.  The roasted eggplant was delicious (I generously helped to eat all the roasted eggplant that didn't fit on the pizza) but what I think also added so much to this recipe was the roasted tomatoes.  Roasting the tomatoes helped them to caramelize and develop a much deeper flavor.


Roasted Eggplant Pizza
Taken from: A Hint of Honey
Makes 1 pizza

• 1 large eggplant, chopped
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved (I used regular heirloom tomatoes instead, cut into thick slices)
• 1 yellow or red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• drizzle extra virgin olive oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced or shredded (I never follow measurements for cheese -- I just grate some and see if it covers the pizza)
• 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated (same as above)
• Pizza or marinara sauce (I simmered olive oil, chopped tomato and a little chopped onion together
• Fresh basil, thinly sliced (optional)

1.  Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions (here's the link to the crust I used - I halved the dough recipe which was a perfect amount for one pizza!)
2. To roast the veggies, preheat oven to 450 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Combine the chopped eggplant, halved (or sliced) tomatoes, and chopped onion on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and toss to coat. Spread in an even layer on the baking sheet. (Or onto two baking sheets. The vegetables caramelize better if they have room to breathe.) Roast in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes then add the garlic and turn roasted vegetables to coat evenly.  Cook for 10-15 more minutes, turning occasionally, until tender and golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
3. Keep the oven at 450 F and preheat the pizza stone.
4. Prepare the pizza crust (I like to shape the pizza crust, throw cornmeal on the pizza stone, place the rolled crust on top of the stone and pre-bake the crust for about 9 minutes). Top with marinara, cheese and roasted vegetables.
5. Bake on preheated pizza stone for about 10 minutes, until the crust is puffed and golden and the cheese is bubbling. Top with basil, if desired.  Slice and serve.