Aubergine, sun-dried tomato pesto and fior di latte pizza
Ingredients
Pizza dough
- 15ml (1 tbsp) castor sugar
- 10ml (2 tsp) dried yeast
- 200ml lukewarm water
- 450g (2½ cups) cake flour
- 2,5ml (½ tsp) salt
- 45ml (3 tbsp) olive oil
Topping
- 2 medium aubergines, cut into thin rounds
- 60ml (¼ cup) olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 125g (½ cup) sun-dried tomato pesto
- 15ml (1 tbsp) crushed garlic
- 300g fior di latte or bocconcini
- fresh basil
Instructions
For the pizza bases, combine the sugar and yeast in a small bowl. Add 80ml ( cup) of the warm water and set aside for 5 minutes.
Place the flour and salt in a food processor. Pour in the oil, the remaining warm water and the yeast mixture, and pulse until the dough comes together.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead lightly until soft but not sticky, about 10 minutes. Add a little more flour if it is too sticky or a few drops of water if it is too dry. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside to rise for 30 minutes in a warm spot.
After 30 minutes you can knock the dough down and divide it into 2 equal-sized balls.
Preheat the oven to 220°C.
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to form a thin 30cm base. Repeat the process with the other piece of dough and place on a lightly greased baking tray.
To make the topping, toss the aubergine rounds and olive oil together, and season lightly. Cook the aubergine on a hot griddle pan over medium-high heat until tender, 1 – 2 minutes on each side.
Combine the pesto and garlic. Spread the pesto over the bases, top with the aubergine slices and place in the preheated oven. Cook until they are golden and crisp, 10 – 12 minutes.
Tear the fior de latte or bocconcini into bite-size pieces and scatter over the pizzas. Top with lots of fresh basil and ground black pepper.
Notes
To prepare ahead for a family gathering, par-cook the bases for 6 – 8 minutes. When you are ready to serve the pizzas, simply add the toppings and pop them into a preheated oven for 4 – 5 minutes. Don’t overload the pizza with too many toppings as less weight on top results in a crisper and lighter base when baked.
