I topped freshly risen pizza dough with a rich tomato sauce, roasted peppers, halved cherry tomatoes and chunks of gorgeous roasted plump aubergine before popping it into the oven to bake.
Making Aubergine Pizza From Scratch
There is something deeply satisfying about making fresh pizza from scratch.
Kneading dough is very therapeutic and the smell of it rising is one of my very favourite things.
Add to that the aroma of vegetables roasting and a rich herby tomato sauce bubbling away and I feel very domestic goddessy!
Start with the dough, it needs to rise for at least an hour. While it is sitting there, plumping up beautifully, roast the chopped vegetables and, while they are roasting make your fresh tomato sauce. It is a lovely way to spend a Sunday morning and the smells of everything cooking away should encourage any sleepy heads out of bed!
Making Aubergine Pizza Almost From Scratch
These quick shortcuts will make the whole process of fresh homemade pizza much simpler if you are in a hurry!
- Ditch the whole ‘making your own dough’ bit! You will find fresh pizza dough in the freezer aisle of most supermarkets or ready made fresh bases in the chilled aisles.
- I have just discovered that frozen chargrilled Mediterranean vegetables are a thing! A whole new world has opened up before me! Simply top your pizza with a handful and pop it in a hot oven for 20 minutes.
More Vegan Pizza Recipes To Try
More Recipes Using Aubergines, Peppers and Tomatoes
- Roast Aubergine Soup
- Green Lentil Burgers with Sweet Pepper Sauce
- Easy lentil Meatballs with Fresh Tomato Sauce
Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook,Twitter and Instagram where I share recipe ideas, links to vegan events and articles and where I natter on about my favourite subject – vegan food
Roast Aubergine Pizza with Peppers and Tomatoes.
Ingredients
For the Pizza Dough
- 125 g strong white bread flour
- 125 g plain flour
- 1/2 tsp instant dried yeast (easy blend yeast)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 160 ml tepid water
For the Topping
- 1 350g jar tomato with basil pasta sauce
- 2 tsp black olive tapenade check it's vegan
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large aubergine chopped into chunks
- 1 large red pepper deseeded and sliced
- 1 medium red onion sliced
- 200 g cherry tomatoes halved
- salt and pepper to taste
- a handful of fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200C/390F
For the Pizza Dough
- Put the flours into a large bowl with the yeast on one side and the salt on the other.
- Add the oil and water and mix to form a dough.
- Tip the dough onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic - this should take about 10 minutes. Alternatively use a dough hook in a free standing mixer.
- Lightly grease a large bowl and add your dough, turning it so it has a light coating of oil all over. Cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place until doubled in size. This takes about an hour but will depend on temperature in your kitchen.
- When the dough is risen and pillowy, tip it out onto a floured surface, knock it back with your fingers, divide it in two and roll out into two large pizza circles.
To Make The Topping
- While the dough is rising prepare your toppings.
- Toss the chopped aubergine, pepper and onion in 1 tbsp olive oil and tumble them onto a baking tray. Cover with foil and roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- While the vegetables are roasting, pour the pasta sauce into a small saucepan and simmer for about 10 minutes until reduced a little.
- Stir in the tapenade.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
To Make The Pizzas
- Increase oven temperature to 220c/430F
- Spoon half of the tomato sauce onto each pizza and spread with the back of a spoon to cover the dough.
- Top each pizza with half the roasted vegetables and half the cherry tomatoes.
- Bake in the preheated for 15 - 20 minutes until the base is browned and the sauce is bubbling.
- Sprinkle with fresh basil leaves and serve.
