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Eggplant Pizza with Creamy Romano Sauce

pizza in a sheet pan with eggplant, zucchini and provolone cheese.
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Everything about this pizza is in harmony. Creamy cheese sauce, sour green olives, hearty eggplant, fresh parsley all atop an airy pizza dough.

  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8 pieces 1x
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

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Dough

  • 1 1/4 cup very warm water
  • 1 packet active dry yeast
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for kneading)
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour

Toppings

  • 1 eggplant
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1/4 yellow or white onion
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
  • 1/2 cup green olives
  • 5 slices provolone cheese (cut into strips)
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Sauce

  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • 1 1/2 cups half and half
  • 1 tsp basil
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup grated romano cheese
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  1. Start with the dough: add warm water to a large bowl, then empty yeast packet. Let sit 5 minutes. Add sugar and stir. Add the oil, salt and flours and stir until dough is one sticky mass.
  2. Turn dough out onto a well-floured work surface (approximately 1/4 cup flour on your work surface). Dust hands with flour and begin kneading. Add more flour if it's too sticky. Knead until the dough becomes smooth and easily forms into a ball. Place in an oiled bowl and cover with a clean dish towel. Allow to rise for one hour.
  3. While the dough rises: cut the eggplant and zucchini lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices. Chop the onion. Place eggplant on one cookie sheet and zucchini + onion on another. Sprinkle each cookie sheet with 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp olive oil. Roast at 400˚ for 30 minutes until tender.
  4. After the eggplant and zucchini is removed from the oven and cooled, cut into cubes or whatever shape you desire.
  5. Grease a rimmed cookie sheet with butter. Press dough into the pan and allow to rest again while you make the sauce.
  6. Over medium heat: melt 2 tbsp butter in a sauce pan, add garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add 2 tbsp flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add half & half, whisking to combine. Reduce heat to low and cook until it starts to bubble around the edges of the pot. The sauce should be beginning to thicken at this point. Add the herbs, salt and pepper. Turn the heat off and stir in the cheese. Slice the cheese and olives.
  7. Spread sauce over the dough. Top with zucchini, eggplant, green olives and provolone.
  8. Bake at 400˚ for 20-30 minutes. Until cheese is bubbly & golden and crust is nicely puffed and browned. Top with chopped parsley.
  9. Enjoy!

Notes

  • There is a lot of information out there that says you need to salt and drain the eggplant but I’ve done that and not done that and I can’t really tell a difference.
  • You can skip the second rise on the pizza dough if you want. It won’t be as airy but will still be good.

Find it online: https://www.figjar.com/eggplant-pizza-with-creamy-romano-sauce/