Tag: eggplant

Eggplant Pizza Crust

Published on by jackiesholarLeave a comment

Sometimes it’s easy to decline from gluten and all of its wheat-y friends. Sometimes, it’s not so simple refraining from those flaky crusts, crunchy toasts and doughy breads. It was one of these days when I discovered a gluten-free, vegetable-filled version of pizza crust. Since the recipe calls for the assistance of a nut flour only, this pizza turned out to be paleo friendly as well!

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I had my doubts as I began grating the eggplant. Would this crust actually pan out and satisfy my craving for crunch? To my surprise, the pizza base exceeded my expectations and prompted me to remake the recipe only days later. The eggplant foundation provided a neutral, cohesive environment for the toppings to shine in savory flavor. I sat down to chow down and by bite numero uno, the crust won me over with its perfect chewy, crusty blend.

Without further adieu, I present the excellent Eggplant Pizza:

 

Ingredients:

1 whole eggplant, skinned and grated

1/4 cup almond flour (I substituted pistachio flour as that’s what I had on hand and recommend it!)

1/4 cup flax seed meal

1 egg

1 Tbsp. oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Cut of the skin off of the eggplant and grate the remaining, skinless eggplant with a medium-sized grater.
  3. Once shredded, pile the grated eggplant into a cheesecloth or clean towel and squeeze out the remaining liquid.
  4. Place the eggplant into a bowl and add the flour, egg and seasoning. Mix together with your hands until evenly combined.
  5. Move the dough to a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet or pizza stone and press dough until it resembles a circular pizza and reaches only 1/8 in. high all around.
  6. Let the pizza bake in the oven for 30 min.
  7. Remove the crust from the oven. Rip off another sheet of parchment paper, spray the paper with cooking spray and place it on top of the pizza. Flip the pizza with the help of a spatula and peel off the old parchment paper. Replace into the oven for about 15 minutes or until the pizza begins to brown.
  8. Remove once more from the oven, add your desired toppings and bake for another 7 to 10 minutes.

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The best part about this recipe? I’ve attempted the traditional, Italian red sauce-covered crust as well as the sauce-less, mediterranean style. Raid the refrigerator and scout out some seasonings for a versatile, healthy twist on a pizza dinner. Enjoy biting into the almost-forgotten flavor of pizza pie!