Skillet Pizza with Eggplant and Greens

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Photo: Anna Williams
Prep Time:
40 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs 20 mins
Yield:
2 10-inch pizzas

Roasted eggplant meets garlicky sauteed chard and gooey provolone cheese in this irresistible pan pizza. Other combinations of roasted vegetables and greens would also be wonderful here -- plan to use about 1 cup of toppings for each pizza.

Ingredients

Dough

  • 2 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • Kosher salt

  • ½ small onion, finely chopped

  • 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Toppings

  • 1 eggplant (about 12 ounces), stemmed and cut lengthwise into 1-inch-thick slices

  • Coarse salt

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

  • 1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed, cut into 2-inch pieces

  • 12 ounces provolone, thinly sliced

  • Fresh oregano leaves, for serving

Directions

  1. Dough:

    Stir together flour, salt, yeast, and 1 1/4 cups water in a large bowl until dough is very sticky. Cover with plastic wrap; let stand 12 to 18 hours at room temperature.

  2. Sprinkle dough with flour. Divide in half. Divide oil between two 10-inch ovenproof nonstick skillets (preferably cast iron). Swirl to coat. Add dough to each skillet; turn to coat with oil. Gently flatten dough with your hand. Cover; let rise in a warm spot until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.

  3. Sauce:

    Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add pepper flakes and onion. Cook, stirring, until onion is tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add tomatoes and juices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, about 20 minutes. Let cool slightly. Puree sauce in a blender, in batches (to avoid filling jar more than halfway), until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

  4. Toppings:

    Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place eggplant in a colander; season with salt. Let stand 30 minutes.

  5. Rinse eggplant, drain, and pat dry. Arrange on a baking sheet; brush with 2 tablespoons oil. Roast, turning once, until very tender, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

  6. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add chard in batches with 1 to 2 tablespoons water. Cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 5 minutes. Season with salt. Let cool.

  7. Preheat oven to 475 degrees with rack in lower third. For each pizza, press dough until it touches edge of skillet. Ladle 3/4 cup sauce over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with 3 ounces cheese. Add 1/2 cup each chard and eggplant. Top with another 3 ounces cheese. Bake until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 18 minutes. Sprinkle with oregano; serve.

Cook's Notes

The sauce and toppings can be prepared up to two days ahead. If you make only one pizza, freeze the other half of the dough in a resealable plastic bag for up to three months.

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