Pizza with Eggplant

Serve this simple and easy meal with green salad on the side. You can use store-bought dough to make it even easier.


for the dough:

  • ½ cup warm water
  • ⅛ tsp sugar
  • ⅛ oz / 3.5 g active dry yeast
  • 1½ cups pizza flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

for the topping:

  • 1 medium eggplant
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 oz / 113 g Emmental cheese
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh oregano

  1. Mix warm water, sugar and yeast in a bowl. Let yeast stand for 10 mins, until foamy. Combine flour and salt in a food processor, add yeast mixture and olive oil. Pulse until the dough comes together (add more flour if needed to get smooth dough). Transfer to a clean surface and knead into a ball. Put in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm spot for 40 mins, until doubled in size.
  2. Remove plastic wrap, and press your fist into the center of the dough to punch it down. Fold the dough back onto itself 4-5 times, cover with plastic wrap, and return to the warm spot for 30 mins to rise again.
  3. Heat the oven to 400° F / 200° C. Cut eggplant into thin slices and toss them with the salt. Let stand 30 mins. Press slices between paper towels to dry.
  4. On a floured surface, roll out dough to ½ ” / 1 cm thickness. Transfer into a pizza pan or baking sheet, lined with baking paper. Brush dough with half the oil and sprinkle with half the cheese. Layer on eggplant, top with the rest of the oil, cheese and oregano. Bake for 20 mins, until pizza edges are golden.