Pizza Melanzane

Pizza Melanzane (Italian Eggplant Pizza)

A classic Italian pizza topped with tomato, mozzarella, and golden slices of fried eggplant. The eggplant is the star here, treated the Neapolitan way: salted, lightly fried, then baked on a simple tomato base.

Prep

30 min

Cook

25 min

Total

55 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) bread flour, Italian '00' flour if available, or strong bread flour
• •325 ml (1¼ cups + 1 tbsp) lukewarm water, around 25°C / 77°F
• •10 g (2 tsp) fine sea salt
• •3 g (1 tsp) instant dried yeast, fresh yeast (6 g) is traditional in Naples
• •1 whole large globe eggplant (about 400 g / 14 oz)
• •10 g (2 tsp) fine sea salt, for drawing out moisture
• •150 ml (⅔ cup) extra-virgin olive oil, divided, use about 80 ml for frying eggplant, rest for the dough and topping
• •400 g (14 oz) San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand, canned, good quality; passata is an acceptable substitute
• •1 g (¼ tsp) dried oregano, optional, Neapolitan style
• •1 whole small garlic clove, finely sliced, optional
• •250 g (9 oz) fior di latte or low-moisture mozzarella, torn, fior di latte is traditional; mozzarella di bufala is richer but wetter
• •30 g (¼ cup grated) Pecorino Romano, finely grated, or Parmigiano-Reggiano
• •10 g (a small handful) fresh basil leaves

Steps

1. 1 Make the dough: In a large bowl, stir the yeast into the lukewarm water. Add the flour and salt and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise at room temperature for at least 2 hours, or in the fridge for 8-24 hours for better flavor.
2. 2 Prepare the eggplant: Slice the eggplant crosswise into rounds about 5 mm (¼ inch) thick. Lay them in a single layer on a tray, sprinkle generously with the 10 g of salt, and weight them lightly. Let sit 20-30 minutes to draw out bitter moisture. Pat thoroughly dry with paper towels.
3. 3 Heat 80 ml (⅓ cup) of the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Fry the eggplant slices in batches for 2-3 minutes per side until golden and tender. Drain on paper towels. They should be fully cooked and pliable; this is the traditional preparation.
4. 4 Make the sauce: Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small pan over low heat. Add the garlic if using and cook gently 30 seconds (do not brown). Add the crushed tomatoes, a pinch of salt, and the oregano. Simmer 8-10 minutes until thickened. Taste and adjust salt; let cool slightly.
5. 5 Heat your oven as hot as it will go, 250-290°C (480-550°F), with a pizza stone or steel on the middle rack for at least 45 minutes. If you use a home oven without a stone, a heavy inverted baking sheet preheated for 30 minutes is the closest substitute.
6. 6 Divide the dough into 4 balls (about 200 g each). On a floured surface, stretch each ball by hand into a round about 25-30 cm (10-12 inches), leaving a slightly thicker edge. Avoid a rolling pin if possible to keep the airy Neapolitan crumb.
7. 7 Top each base with a thin layer of tomato sauce (about 2-3 tablespoons), leaving the edge bare. Scatter the torn mozzarella evenly over the sauce.
8. 8 Arrange 3-4 fried eggplant slices on each pizza. Sprinkle with a little of the grated Pecorino and a small drizzle of olive oil.
9. 9 Bake one pizza at a time on the hot stone/steel for 4-6 minutes, until the crust is puffed and lightly charred in spots and the cheese is bubbling. Using a home oven without a stone, bake on the preheated tray for 8-12 minutes.
10. 10 Finish with a few fresh basil leaves and a final drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.