2.09.2011

Eggplant Tomato Pesto Pizza

This unfortunately isn't my pizza. But mine looked pretty darn similar. image via christine's cuisine.

Yep, you read that right. Last night for dinner group I made everyone pizza with fried eggplant, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and pesto. It was delish and I made up the entire concoction all by myself. :) 


Tips for frying eggplant:

  • Eggplant is naturally bitter. (Or so I have heard. I wasn't going to taste it raw so I can't vouch for this but there's a reason it isn't many people's favorite vegetable...) Before you fry it you have to suck the bitter moisture out of it. Do this by placing it on a cookie cooling rack (with a cookie sheet underneath) and sprinkling salt liberally on both sides. Let them sit for 20 minutes to a half hour and then rinse them off in a colander. Dry them with a paper towel and you're ready to fry them!
  • I first dipped them in an egg wash and then regular bread crumbs with added Italian seasoning. Then I fried them in a little bit of canola oil til they were golden brown. They were delicious!

Also, I think using fresh mozzarella made a difference. I usually buy the cheap, pre-shredded bagged kind but this time I opted for the fresh stuff that comes in a big ball. Well worth the extra 2 bucks. :)

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