Homemade Pizza with Eggplant and Mozzarella

Delish veggie pizza on a perfectly crispy base!

This homemade pizza has a little secret that makes for a fluffy dough and crisp base every time! Cooking the pizza in a skillet might seem strange at first, but it’s a sure-fire way to make a cracking pizza.

A classic margherita pizza levelled up with tasty eggplant!

  • Delish Eggplant

Thick slices of eggplant fried in olive oil and then marinated in garlic make for an unexpected yet utterly delicious pizza topping.

  • Fresh Mozzarella

Choose a good-quality mozzarella ball and add the thin slices sparingly so that the creamy cheese pairs with the richness of the eggplant and tomato base.

  • Simple Finishings

A drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle of flaky sea salt and fresh basil ties the whole pizza together wonderfully. There’s no need to overcomplicate with too many ingredients!

More Healthy Recipe Ideas

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A Note on Frypans

This recipe requires a cast-iron skillet or frypan to replicate that perfectly crisp crust we get from a pizza oven.

Cast-iron holds a lot of heat really well, which is why it’s the perfect choice for this recipe. Other frypans aren’t designed to hold heat like this, and it can be dangerous to use them in this way.

Only use a sturdy, ovenproof frypan with a thick base and no plastic handles.

Homemade Pizza with Eggplant and Mozzarella

Homemade Pizza with Eggplant and Mozzarella

Yield: 4 pizzas
Author: Hayley Paterson
Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 13 MinInactive time: 1.5 HourTotal time: 1.5 H & 33 M
A delish twist on the classic margherita pizza, this homemade pizza dough recipe has an eggplant and mozzarella topping that is utterly delicious.

Ingredients

For the Pizza Dough
  • 250g bread flour
  • 250g pizza flour (Tipo 00)*
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 350mL lukewarm water
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey
  • 7g dry yeast (1 sachet)
For the Pizza Toppings
  • 2 eggplants
  • 2 balls of good-quality mozzarella
  • 1 cup pizza sauce
  • 1 bunch fresh basil
  • Olive oil
  • Flaky sea salt

Instructions

For the Pizza Dough - Stand Mixer Instructions
  1. To make the pizza dough, combine the flours and the salt into a large stand mixer bowl.
  2. Mix the lukewarm water, olive oil, sugar and dry yeast together in a separate jug and set aside for 3-5 minutes until the yeast begins to foam.
  3. Create a well in the centre of the flour and then pour the yeast mixture into the large mixing bowl.
  4. Attach a dough hook to the stand mixer and place the bowl in the mixer. Turn the mixer on at the lowest speed and mix until the ingredients come together in a shaggy dough.
  5. Increase the speed by one notch and knead for 8 minutes.
  6. After 8 minutes, check the dough. If the dough is sticking to the base of the bowl while mixing, increase the speed and continue to knead until the dough pulls away from the bowl. This is a sign that the gluten in the dough has developed and your dough is ready.
  7. Remove the dough hook and cover the mixer bowl with a tea towel. Set aside in a warm place (but not in direct sunlight) until the dough doubles in size. In a warm climate it may take 45 minutes, and in cooler climates in may take 1.5 to 2 hours.
  8. When the dough has risen, use wet fingertips to pull the edges of the dough towards the centre, releasing it from the bowl. Invert the bowl on top of a floured work surface and wait a moment before lifting the bowl up slowly. The dough should detach from the bowl and land on the work surface.
  9. Cut the dough into four evenly-sized portions.
  10. Roll each dough portion into a ball by pulling the dough corners in towards the centre and pinching them together securely. Flip the dough over and use your hands to shape into a ball. Use flour liberally as needed to ensure the dough doesn't stick.
  11. Lightly oil a large baking tray, then place the dough ball on to the tray. Repeat the shaping process for the remaining dough portions, and place them in the tray also. Allow space between the dough balls as they will rise again.
  12. Cover the dough with cling wrap and place in the fridge to prove for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.
For the Pizza Dough - Kneading Instructions
  1. To make the pizza dough, combine the flours and the salt in a large bowl.
  2. Mix the lukewarm water, olive oil, sugar and dry yeast together in a separate jug and set aside for 3-5 minutes until the yeast begins to foam.
  3. Create a well in the centre of the flour and then pour the yeast mixture into the large mixing bowl.
  4. Use your hands to combine the dough, ensuring there are no dry patches of flour.
  5. Tip the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead the dough by hand for 6-8 minutes, until the dough forms a firm ball and is springy to the touch. Continue to add flour to the work surface and your hands as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking.
  6. Place the dough in a large bowl and cover with a tea towel. Set aside in a warm place (but not in direct sunlight) until the dough doubles in size. In a warm climate it may take 45 minutes, and in cooler climates in may take 1.5 to 2 hours.
  7. When the dough has risen, use wet fingertips to pull the edges of the dough towards the centre, releasing it from the bowl. Invert the bowl on top of a floured work surface and wait a moment before lifting the bowl up slowly. The dough should detach from the bowl and land on the work surface.
  8. Cut the dough into four evenly-sized portions.
  9. Roll each dough portion into a ball by pulling the dough corners in towards the centre and pinching them together securely. Flip the dough over and use your hands to shape into a ball. Use flour liberally as needed to ensure the dough doesn't stick.
  10. Lightly oil a large baking tray, then place the dough ball on to the tray. Repeat the shaping process for the remaining dough portions, and place them in the tray also. Allow space between the dough balls as they will rise again.
  11. Cover the dough with cling wrap and place in the fridge to prove for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.
To Prepare the Eggplant Topping
  1. Cut the eggplant into thick slices. Set aside.
  2. Heat a generous layer of olive oil in a frypan. When the oil begins to shimmer, add 3-4 eggplant pieces to the pan.
  3. Fry the eggplant until golden brown on one side, then flip the eggplant and cook until golden.
  4. Repeat for the remaining eggplant slices, adding extra oil as needed.
  5. If preparing the eggplant in advance, drizzle in a little extra olive oil and place in the fridge until ready to use.
To Cook the Pizza
  1. We'll be using a cast-iron skillet** to cook the base of the pizza, and then placing that skillet under a grill to finishing cooking the top of the pizza. The skillet will get very hot, so be sure to have thick heat-safe potholders ready to handle the pan. Declutter the benchtops and always be cautious when moving the hot pan around.
  2. To begin, preheat the grill.
  3. Preheat a large cast-iron skillet (or sturdy, ovenproof pan**) by placing it onto a high heat for 2-3 minutes. Don't add any oil, as this will cause the dough to stick to the pan later.
  4. While the skillet is heating, place a dough ball on a floured surface and use a floured rolling pin to shape the pizza dough into a circle. Make sure your dough circle is smaller than the skillet, as it will stretch as you lift it into the pan.
  5. Spread a thin layer of pizza sauce over the base, avoiding the edges of the dough.
  6. Carefully lower the pizza base into the skillet. This can take some practice, but don't be too worried if it's not perfect! I like to use an offset spatula to move any dough that ended up in the wrong place.
  7. Always use a potholder or similar when handling the hot frypan.
  8. After a minute, give the pan a shuffle to make sure the base isn't sticking to the pan. As long as your pan is nice and hot, you shouldn't have any issues.
  9. Allow the base to cook until golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Once you have checked the pizza base is crisp and well-cooked, turn the heat off.
  10. Place the pizza base under the grill for 2-3 minutes to cook the top of the pizza base.
  11. Next, remove the pizza from the grill and add the eggplant and mozzarella.
  12. Return the pizza to the grill and cook until the cheese is melted and golden, and the pizza crust is crisp, 4-5 minutes. Remove from the grill.
  13. Carefully slide or lift the pizza out of the frypan and onto a chopping board. An offset spatula or pair of tongs is a great help here!
  14. Set the skillet aside on a heatproof surface. Leave a thick tea towel or potholder wrapped around the handle to ensure it isn't accidentally picked up while it is still very hot.
  15. Finish the pizza with a generous drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
  16. Cut the pizza into slices, placing a basil leaf on top of each slice.
  17. Enjoy your pizza fresh and hot, before repeating the steps for the remaining pizza bases.

Notes

*If you can't source Tipo 00 pizza flour, you can substitute with bread flour

**You'll need a sturdy, ovenproof frypan with a thick base for this recipe. Cast-iron pans work best. Avoid frypans with plastic handles.

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