The crust of the matter
The multinational chains may get it right, but there’s something to be said indeed, for the act of baking your own pizza. Not only will you get plenty of brownie points from the family for your efforts in the kitchen (imagine their glee as young and old cluster around you and the baking tray on which a scrumptious pie smokes, as they exclaim, “You made pizza?!”) you’ll also feel the pleasure of pulling off something that’s out of the ordinary. This recipe is simple — no fancy throwing the pizza dough up in the air required!
Ingredient
For the crust (makes two):
1 tspn active dry/instant yeast
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tspn coarse salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
For the topping:
1 large brinjal, thin sliced, sprinkled with salt and drained of excess water
Coarse salt, for sprinkling
450 gm tomatoes, sliced
2 cloves minced garlic
About 225 gm fresh mozzarella, sliced thin
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Extra virgin olive oil (to drizzle)
Freshly ground black pepper
Method
For the crust:
Sprinkle yeast over 1 and ½ cups warm water. Combine the flour and salt in a mixer on low speed. Pour in the olive oil until it is fully combined with the flour. Next, add the yeast/water mixture and mix until combined.
Lightly grease a bowl with olive oil, shape the dough into a ball and place in the bowl until covered with the oil. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate until required.
For the pizza:
Preheat oven broiler. Rinse the eggplant slices in cold water, then pat them dry. Toss the sliced tomatoes with minced garlic.
Cut each eggplant slices into quarters and toss with olive oil. Arrange on a baking sheet and place 8 inches under the broiler. Broil for 3 minutes, then toss and broil for another 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and add the tomato and garlic. Broil for 2-3 minutes, then remove and let cool for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Coat a large baking tray with olive oil, take half the prepared pizza dough and stretch onto the tray, pressing down with fingers. The doug must be very thin.
Drizzle olive oil on the dough, lay mozzarella slices over its surface and spread the vegetables all over. Dust the grated Parmesan on top.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until crust is golden brown. Serve hot.
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