Nutrition Spotlight
An alternative pizza recipe with a roasted summer vegetable base instead of the usual crust. It is much lighter and healthier, and also gluten-free. (*If you have celiac disease, always make sure you choose packaged products with gluten-free labelling.)
Eggplants are vegetables with a high content in water even though it doesn’t seem so at first glance. But in order to create a sturdy base for the pizzas, we need to extract most of their water prior to roasting, and with it some of their natural bitterness. To do this, we follow the same procedure as for roasted zucchini.
The ingredients for the sauce and the pizza toppings are all from the Mediterranean lands. Greek feta cheese, Italian mozzarella, olives, basil-scented tomato sauce and the use of olive oil, make these pizzas an excellent choice for a summer vegetable-based meal or snack.
Mini Eggplant Pizzas
Equipment
- Food processor
- Small saucepan
- Baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Kitchen paper towels
Ingredients
For the base
- 2 big eggplants (or 3 medium ones)
- ½ tsp oregano
- Salt
For the pizza sauce
- 3 medium tomatoes, skin and seeds removed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- ½ cup water
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ tsp oregano
- 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- Salt and pepper
For the topping
- ¼ cup olives, pitted and sliced
- ⅓ cup Greek feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 big green pepper, sliced
- ½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
- 1 small ball fresh mozzarella, sliced
Instructions
- Wash the eggplants, cut the stem ends and bottoms and slice them into 1/2-inch circles. Arrange them on paper towels, add salt and let them stand for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven at 430°F / 220°C. Wipe off the excess water from the eggplants with paper towels, and arrange them on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle the oregano on top of them and bake for 25-30 minutes, turning them upside down halfway through. Alternatively, you can grill or broil them.
- Meanwhile, prepare the pizza sauce. Purée the tomatoes using a food processor. In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onion. Stir until soft and add water, tomatoes, herbs, salt and pepper. Slightly stir, reduce heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Prepare your mini pizzas. Spread 1-2 tablespoons of tomato sauce on each eggplant slice. Add the olives, feta cheese and pepper slices. Sprinkle the grated mozzarella cheese and top with the fresh mozzarella slices.
- Bake them at 400°F / 200°5 C for 15 minutes.
NOTES
