Roasted Seasoned Eggplant Pizza

Thick Sliced Japanese Eggplant

Lightly breaded and seasoned with only a little olive oil…
Well, it turned out to be the LAST pizza of the night. (I already mentioned that it was late!) I think we alll know how good a late night slice of pizza can taste. Now imagine it’s the last late night pizza available and there’s a line out the door behind you. My small group of friends formed a wedge as we moved out the door and ran for our lives to catch a cab home!

Pinch off chunks of the Fresh Mozz and spread the roasted eggplant across the pizza.
To the kitchen!

Looks good already!
Roasted Seasoned Eggplant Pizza

Looks good already!
Pizza Quest Signature Beer Dough *LINK
Simply Red Tomatoes turned into Peter’s Crushed Tomato Sauce
*Any quality canned tomato will work *LINK
Fresh Mozzarella *I used Bel Gioioso’s
1 Japanese Eggplant sliced about 1/4″ thick
Sliced Tomatoes
Fresh Basil
Olive Oil
*You can/should also add grated Parmesan cheese and Red Chilli flakes at the end.

A few sliced tomatoes to roast while baking.
Roast the Eggplant:

There’s a nice balance of ingredients.
Peel the skin off the eggplant and slice into 1/4″ slices.
In a bowl mix the slices with Bread Crumbs and add in some herbs and spices to give them that special touch. I poured a little Olive Oil and then added some Oregano, Basil, Garlic Powder, Salt, Pepper and actually a little Cayenne because I’m insane. You’ll see I didn’t overdo it in the photos.
I pre-roasted them until browned, pulling them out of the oven in time to allow them to finish up on the pizza (but they do need to soft when you pull them out). I didn’t time this, but think it was about 20 minutes as my oven was already hot. Check it after 10, 15 etc.
The Prep and Build:

The eggplant is moist and still has some nice charred crispy edges.
I added a swirl of Olive Oil to the sauce
Add pinches of the fresh Mozzaarella
Add the Roasted Eggplant
Add sliced/chopped basil after the bake.
Add the sliced tomatoes (Play with the thickness of the tomatoes to affect how much moisture they will hold after baking, but a scant 1/4″ thick is probably ideal).
Bake:

Finish with fresh basil, and maybe some chilli flakes and a little grated Parmesan.
Check the pizza in about 7 Minutes. When it’s done, remove it.
This pizza came out beautifully. I used a thicker cut on my tomatoes, so the overall pizza, was initially “wet”. But, as it cooled, it settled down. I added the basil, sliced it up and remembered a simpler time, before kids, late one evening, walking down the street with some friends and a piping hot Roasted Eggplant Pizza from Paisanos.
(*The cayenne was interesting. Play with the seasoning on the eggplant, it’s a great vehicle for flavor. With the bread crumbs and pre-roasting you also get a little crunchy texture going on after the final bake and even some charred crispy bits.)
Give this a try and send us your own versions with photos and a story!
Enjoy!
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The contrasts in textures, such as something crunchy in an otherwise smooth dish, may increase the appeal of eating it. Common examples include adding granola to yogurt, adding croutons to a salad or soup, and toasting bread to enhance its crunchiness for a smooth topping, such as jam or butter. Thanks a lot.
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