25 April 2015

BBQ Aubergine Pizza

Serves: 1-2
Time: 30-40 mins

BBQ Aubergine Pizza
This next recipe for pizza uses both white and wholemeal flour to produce a crisp base that has that classic pizza crunch when you bite into it; topped with herby roasted garlic tomato sauce, BBQ aubergine, mushrooms, courgette and fresh basil.
BBQ Aubergine Pizza Slice
The real star of the show here is the bbq aubergine, sticky-sweet and melt in your mouth eggplant that perfectly tops this crisp pizza base. When I told my mum that I was going to top a pizza with BBQ aubergine she literally laughed down the phone; growing up, aubergine was the absolute last vegetable you would ever see me eating, I would eat brussels sprouts ahead of aubergine and that is saying something!
BBQ Aubergine Pizza Slice
The freshest ingredients make this pizza fragrant and flavourful, older aubergines and courgettes tend to be more bitter, so freshness really is key!

Ingredients for BBQ Aubergine Pizza

You'll need:


  • Large oven-proof pan (metal/cast iron/ceramic)
  • Food Processor
  • Chopping Board
  • Knife
  • Griddle Pan
  • Bowl/marinating dish
  • Mixing bowl
  • Spoon

Ingredients:

Base:
  • 3/4 cup white self raising flour (+ extra for kneading)
  • 1/2 cup wholemeal self raising flour
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Pinch salt
  • Oil

Sauce:

  • 1/3 can chopped tomatoes
  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • pinch salt & pepper


Toppings:

  • 1/2 aubergine
  • 1/4 cup bbq sauce
  • 1/4 courgette
  • 2 chestnut mushrooms
  • 2 baby tomatoes
  • Large handful basil leaves


Method:

  1. Turn the oven to 200°C and roast 2 cloves of garlic for 10 minutes, remove from the oven and leave it at 200°C after this.
  2. To make the dough mix together the flour and salt and add the water, knead together, adding more self raising flour as needed until the dough is no longer sticky.
  3. Thinly slice the veg and place the courgette, mushrooms and tomatoes to one side. Add 1/4 cup BBQ sauce to a bowl and fully coat the aubergine. Heat a griddle pan on high heat and grill the aubergine on a few minutes each side until soft and the BBQ sauce has gone sticky. 
  4. In a food processor, blend up the tomatoes, roasted garlic, herbs, salt and pepper.
  5. Dust the surface with flour and spread out the dough with your hands until it's less than 1 cm thick and is the circumference of the pan you are using. Place your dough, sauce and veg next to the hob, ready for quick assembly of the pizza. The thinner the dough, the crispier your base will be. 
  6. Add enough oil to the pan to thinly coat the bottom and heat on high for about a minute, then add the dough to the pan, top with tomato sauce, the toppings and half of the basil. Keep heating on high for a few minutes, in which time the base should be crisping up on the bottom and sides. Then place the pan in the oven for 10 minutes until golden brown and then remove carefully.
  7. Transfer the pizza to a plate or board to serve, slice up and enjoy! Cassidy xx