Eggplant Parmigiana Pizza, inspired by a Roman Italian classic. Grilled eggplant meets a delectable tomato sauce, all covered in crispy gooey fresh melted mozzarella and Parmigiano, ripe tomato slices, and hints of aromatic basil on a crisp yet tender homemade crust!
Song suggestion: "Nina Cried Power" by Hozier.
Eggplant Parmigiana Pizza is a flavor-packed, quick, easy, weeknight dinner idea. In just a few minutes you will be feasting on a light crust infused with a rich bold sauce. If that is not enough how about topping it with grilled eggplant rounds, mozzarella, Parmigiano, and fresh basil?
Great idea for supper tonight? I think so!
Just thought you may want to know
Eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables to cook with. I know it is an acquired taste. Well, for those of us with that taste palate, we are in luck, as this recipe is a great way to highlight the profiles of grilled eggplant.
I Remember When.....
It was long ago that I experienced eggplant parmigiana. To me, it was a dish that was served on special occasions.
My mother and father would spend hours in between making their tomato sauce, coating the eggplant in eggs and breadcrumbs.
Oh, that is not all. The next phase was frying the eggplant and place it in an oven dish layered like lasagna with sauce, mozzarella, and Parmigiano. Yes, very labor-intensive, but oh so lusciously delicious!
Where Simplicity Began!
Where am I going with this you ask? Well, when I met Nicoletta she introduced me to a simpler version of Eggplant Parmigiana that was equally if not tastier than what I had before. Don't tell my mom!
Today I am going to share that simplicity in an inspired dish we call Eggplant Parmigiana Pizza!
It's Pizza night!
Nicoletta loves making pizza dough. To watch her making dough is beautiful. The way her hands feel their way through the dough tells me that we are going to have some delicious pizza crust to munch on.
Five Simple Ingredients
- Type "00" flour
- Water
- Yeast
- Salt
- Olive oil
If you want, you can omit the olive oil, following some recommendations from Nicoletta's Aunt Rosaria. However, we like to use the olive oil inside. The crust is light, tender, and tasty!
Helpful hints!
Nicoletta starts the mixture in a food processor. When the dough starts to come together and off the sides of the bowl, it is ready to be worked.
We usually make a few dough balls and freeze some well wrapped in plastic so we can have pizza any night of the week, as a result very happy pizza lovers.
Just thaw dough at room temperature in a bowl covered with a clean dish towel. Nicoletta places the bowl in the oven, turned off, with the light on. Watch and see the dough rise again.
Have you ever wanted to learn how to toss pizza dough? I have. Dough tossing is not a thing I can say I am good at, however, that is not to say it can't happen.
My rule is 'Never Say Never', and the door stays open just a smidge to allow true desire to set in, and as a result, Manifestation!
Back to our delicious Pizza!
The dough is stretched on a pizza pan glazed with the e.v.o. oil. On goes the sauce, grilled eggplant, Parmigiano, mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, and that ever so fragrant basil.
With the oven nice and hot, ours is usually at 425 degrees F, in goes our pizza.
10-15 minutes have passed and look at this baby! Nice crisp edges, bubbling tomato sauce, melted mozzarella, and Parmigiano. I love how that fragrance of the basil just wafts in the air!
Did you hear that crispness of the crust as the pizza cutter made its way through? Love that sound. Just makes my mouth water!
Tasting Time!
You know your crust is good when it holds up in your hand. My first bite and I AM IN HEAVEN.
The crust is so tasty, crispy yet melts in your mouth. The sauce is rich and bold with that lovely olive oil and sea salt dancing nicely with my taste buds.
Why is melted mozzarella so enticing?
- Is it that it has that varied texture, crisp meets gooey.
- The rich buttery milky flavor?
- Or just because it looks so so good!
Final Notes
I love the topping. That grilled eggplant tantalizing my tongue, with the aid of the fresh basil, Parmigiano, and that extra drizzle of olive oil makes this pizza sensational.
Even those fresh cut tomatoes, caramelized and intensified in flavor, add so much depth to each bite.
I don't think your family would be too unhappy if you were to announce "Tonight is Pizza night!"
Try this recipe and have a lot of fun in the kitchen making it!
Enjoy!
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Eggplant Parmigiana Pizza
Eggplant Parmigiana Pizza, inspired by a Roman Italian classic. Grilled eggplant meets a delectable tomato sauce, all covered in crispy gooey fresh melted mozzarella and Parmigiano, ripe tomato slices, and hints of aromatic basil on a crisp yet tender homemade crust!
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves2
Ingredients
Pizza dough (makes 3 large pizze):
- 500 g farina 00 (or all-purpose, or better, a mix of the two)
- 300 ml water, at room temperature
- 5 g fresh yeast (2 g dried yeast)
- pinch of sugar
- 35 g extra virgin olive oil
- 10 g sea salt
Pizza sauce:
- ¼ cup good quality stewed tomatoes pureed
- 1 Tsp E.V.O. oil
- Pinch of salt, pepper, and dried oregano
Toppings:
- ½ medium-sized eggplant, cut into thin rounds
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
- 250 g fresh mozzarella cut into rounds
- 1 Tbsp grated Parmigiano, plus some shaved on top before slicing it and serve it
- a handful washed and dried fresh basil leaves
- 1 small fresh ripe tomato cut into rounds
- 1 Tbsp E.V.O. oil
Instructions
Pizza dough:
- In a small bowl, add half of the water, the fresh yeast, and a pinch of sugar. Let dissolve.
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, the water/yeast mixture and start mixing on low. Add the salt, then slowly add the rest of the water, and keep mixing. Lastly, slowly, add the oil and mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the food processor and starts to form a ball.
- Take it out of the food processor and put it onto a floured work surface. Knead it for a few minutes until smooth and elastic. Form it into a ball, cover it with a bowl and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Once rested, give the dough a small fold: stretch the ends to form a rectangle, take the outer ends and fold into the center, turn it 90 degrees and do the same. Then, form it back into a ball. Transfer the ball of dough into a bowl, cover with cling wrap (better if you oil the plastic so it doesn’t stick to the dough when it rises). Transfer the bowl to the oven (turned off) with the light on and let it rest for a few hours (2-3) until doubled in size.
- When the dough is ready, divide into 3 even balls. Take each piece and shape into a circle using your hands. Oil a 12-inch round pizza pan and stretch dough from the middle out until it fills the pan, leaving a nice border. Repeat this with the other dough and set pizza crusts aside.
- Preheat the oven to 425° F.
Pizza Sauce:
- In a bowl combine tomato puree, oil, salt, pepper, and oregano. Mix well, set aside.
For the eggplant:
- Heat up a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a saute pan. Put eggplant rounds into the pan and saute till they start to turn golden in color. Turn them over and do the same. About 2-3 minutes a side.
- Take out of the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate.
Assemble:
- Drop a couple of tablespoons of tomato sauce into the center of the pizza dough.
- With the spoon, spread the sauce to the edges of the dough in circular motions, leaving a bit of a dough border for a crust. About 1-2 cm.
- Place sauteed eggplant rounds onto pizza distributing them evenly.
- Take the fresh mozzarella rounds and put them on next.
- Sprinkle with fresh grated Parmigiano.
- Add tomato rounds, and finish with fresh basil leaves and a drizzling of olive oil.
- Put in oven in the middle rack and bake for 10-15 minutes or until crust edges turn golden and cheese is melted.
- Take out of the oven, shave some more Parmigiano on top and cut.
- Ready to serve.
Enjoy!
Notes
- If you want to use just one ball of dough, as we did, you can wrap the other two, separately, in plastic and put them in a freezer bag. When you’re ready to use them, take them out of the freezer, unwrap, put in a bowl, cover and let thaw and rise again. Then proceed to stretch and make the pizza of your choice.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Pizza, Vegetarian
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: eggplant, pizza sauce, fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, parmigiano, basil, oregano, pizza, Italian,
When I am not cooking, I enjoy playing musical instruments, singing, writing. I have learned over the years to live in gratitude and enjoy the moment.
Marisa's Italian Kitchen says
This eggplant parmigiana pizza looks mouthwatering delicious. Eggplants cooked this way was a staple dish growing up...they’re so so good! Wish I could have a slice of that pizza!
Hi Marisa wish we could send you one ASAP. Even for us this type of eggplant prep was a norm. I love the way the eggplant caramelizes and on this pizza. The flavor was spot on. So glad you liked it!
Have a wonderful day!
Loreto
Karly says
This pizza looks amazing! Pinning!
Thank you Karly. It truly was, love all the textures and flavors so so balanced and delightful!
Cheers!
loreto
Maria from She Loves Biscotti says
I absolutely agree with you Loreto, eggplant is definitely an acquired taste. Just like you, I have always loved eggplants. I have so many wonderful memories of dishes my mom would make with eggplant although she never used it as a pizza topping. I imagine the taste must be wonderful as roasting veggies brings out such a wonderful flavor. Great idea and as usual, great song selection. Have pinned to try. Thanks for sharing ♥
★★★★★
Thank you Maria for such a well put comment. I am proud of being Italian. I love the culture the passion. I love how we all have these special memories that are not only in our minds but stored in every sense that we have. The pizza was amazing. It had the specialness of a parmigiana along with the taste of pizza. A perfect partnership of texture and flavor!
Grazie Mille
Loreto
Alexa says
That time of year... nightshade veggies yum!
★★★★★
Thank you Alexa. I know you would love this pizza!
Maria Williams says
I used normal cheese instead of parmesan, added some finely chopped onion to the tomato base, and also had no basil ...but it was delicious! Will definitely be making this one again!
★★★★★
Loreto says
Thank you, it is always good to improvise and I love onion it gives sauce a bit more sweetness. Thanks for trying the recipe
Juliana Fendez says
What a great idea! I used homemade pizza sauce and crust but even then I was super surprised at how quick and easy this recipe came together. I'm not the biggest fan of eggplant but for some reason can rarely pass them by when they're on sale. I think I just love the way they look. Your recipe will take the dread out of figuring out how to use them up! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
★★★★★
Loreto says
Hi Juliana, always feel so grateful when someone who doesn't really like an ingredient however is inspired by our recipe to give it a try For us eggplant is a staple when we get it in season in Italy. I absolutely love eggplant. Thank you for giving eggplant a try!
Cheers!
Jacklyn says
Loved this great idea! I made my own simple, very "rustic" pizza crust. Had some crimini mushrooms, so I breaded them along with the eggplant and baked them per the recipe - much better than deep-frying. Found out I didn't have parmesan cheese so I dabbed a little more pasta sauce over everything, and also put fresh basil on the cheese. Sooooo gooooood! Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Loreto says
Thank you Jacklyn, love the creativity and it sounds very delicious and your right baking is so much better than frying, great job!
Happy cooking!
Adriana says
Absolutely awesome! The eggplant after it was breaded and baked was to die for! I will make it like that as a main course in the future. Also terrific on the pizza. DH and picky daughter absolutely loved it, too! Will definitely make this again and again! Thanks for a terrific recipe!
★★★★★
Loreto says
Hi Adriana, thank you. So happy and grateful that you liked this recipe. You are so right having the breaded eggplant all baked in a crispy breadcrumb crust is a great main. I am honored that even you picky daughter liked it.
Have a great week!
Ciao!
Becky says
I made my standard pizza with my dough so I could really test out the eggplant. It was delicious and very filling. My husband and I can usually finish a home made pizza (even with chicken, etc on it) but the eggplant really filled us up that we each had one piece less than normal! A good thing in my book since we were filled up with veggies! One downfall, only used half the eggplant and from experience eggplant is not very good the next day, so I breaded and baked more than needed and will probably end up in the trash 🙁 Will be making again!!!
★★★★★
Loreto says
Hi Becky, thanks. I was going to say if you have too much of the breaded eggplant you could do an eggplant parmigiana with sauce and mozzarella then freeze it for a later meal. Sorry you got so filled but glad you felt it was a good thing!
Cheers!
Terri says
Your secret is safe with me :)! This looks amazing and I love how you have taken a traditional Italian dish and modernized it for today's busy life - most of us don't have the time Mama had! I love eggplant so will be giving this a try!
★★★★★
Loreto says
Thanks Terry. That is what cooking is all about, creating dishes for the variety of lifestyles that life has to offer! Also creativity is a wonderful thing sometimes!
Ciao
Ramya says
Sorry just saw this now will be making this soon can i use vegan cheese as am a vegan i love eggplant italian food and pizza soooooooooo much perfect for my after office meals will dm you guys if i make this and let you guys know how it goes Thanks Ramya
Lucia smith says
Eggplant Parmigiana Pizza is easy to bake. I have tried to prepare it with ghee instead of olive oil. I prefer using Milkio grass-fed ghee for all culinary purposes. Pizza making is a baking recipe and ghee vs olive oil comparison proves that baking with ghee is safer than baking with olive oil. My kids love the ghee flavor too.
Thank youLlucia, that is wonderful that you are using ingredients that you believe in and they work. So happy you tried this pizza and that it worked out so well with the substitution that you made.