Recipe: Sweet Pepper and Eggplant Pizza

Sweet Pepper and Eggplant Pizza
Source: Chicago Jewish News

2 1/2 cups flour
1 package rapid yeast
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup warm water
2 Tbsp. shortening
1 large (1 lb.) eggplant
olive oil
hot pepper or cayenne pepper flakes (optional)

Tomato Sauce:
3 large red bell peppers, seeded, thin sliced
3 large yellow bell peppers, seeded, thin sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 to 5 tomatoes, chopped, seeded if you wish
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. thyme
salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes to taste

In medium bowl, mix 1 cup of the flour, yeast and salt. Add water and shortening. Mix by hand until somewhat smooth. Gradually add remaining flour to make stiff dough. Let rest 15 minutes, covered.

With well-greased hands, press dough into a greased 12 or 14-inch pizza pan. Top with tomato sauce (see below) and then eggplant (see below again).

Bake at 400F for 25-30 minutes until golden and crisp on edges. Top with pepper flakes, if desired. Serve immediately. (You can freeze unbaked pizza dough after you shape it. Thaw and bake when needed.)

Tomato Sauce
In a skillet, saute peppers and garlic in the oil 10 minutes until soft, but still with some texture. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes over low. Add spices.

Eggplant
Cut eggplant in half, lengthwise. Cut long slash in middle of each half without cutting through skin. Place cut side down on baking dish. Bake in preheated 450F oven 20-30 minutes, until tender and skin shrivels. Cool, slice crosswise. (You can also saut raw slices in olive oil until tender.)