Grilled eggplant and olive pizza

From Smitten Kitchen

A few months ago, a friend called to say that she was telling her office mates about how I love to grill pizza and they set to searching for my recipe on this site and couldn’t find it. Gulp, I said, I’ve just never written it up! From that day forward, I made it my Summer Priority to walk you through pizza on the grill, but I have failed at each turn. Either we’ve made the pizza too late in the evening and the pictures came out anything but appetizing, or the day I decided to try again, it has rained. Seriously. If you want thunderstorms to suddenly threaten, let me promise to make you grilled pizza for dinner.

Last night was the final straw, or the day I finally threw my hands in the air and declared that a proper introduction to grilled pizza will probably have to wait until next summer. (Fortunately, Jen and Dietsch at Last Night’s Dinner won’t make you wait that long.) I have had this grilled eggplant and olive pizza on the agenda even since I spied it in this month’s Gourmet and knew that it immediately needed to get in my belly. Four days later (a typical time lag these days from “idea” to “execution”, sadly) I had the ingredients amassed, the energy to give it a try and even a friend’s yard to grill in, thus of course, the weather went downhill. But I persevered, climbing into the far reaches of our linen closet where we stash kitchen stuff that doesn’t get much use (whispering hello to my 12-inch wedding cake pans and canneler molds), unearthing my cast iron panini pan (hey, close enough, right?) and setting to grill to my heart’s content, weather be damned.

And despite the fact that I generally feel indoor grilling is a sham — once you remove the smoldering charcoal flavor, the sun on your shoulders and the beer bottle condensating on a weathered picnic table, what’s left that’s worthwhile? — it was going along swimmingly, that is, until Alex came home and declared it “partly cloudy” in our apartment; whoops! Anyway, smoky plumes emanating from the kitchen aside, if this pizza can be this good cooked on a shoddy indoor grill pan, I can only imagine how dreamy it will be seared over fire in your backyard or on your rooftop this weekend. Smoky eggplant, briny olives and blistered bubbles of provolone… my friends, what are you waiting for?

One year ago: Grilled Eggplant with Caponata Salsa, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake and Slow-Roasted Tomatoes
Two years ago: Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake

Grilled Eggplant and Olive Pizza
Adapted from Gourmet, August 2009

This recipe defies many of the things that I usually preach about pizza, namely that I generally go for pizzas that are thinner and less overloaded with toppings. You’re also more likely to get the results you want from them on a grill or in an oven. But this one — with its pre-grilled eggplant slices piled thick and melty and blistering-prone provolone — has got me rethinking my thin pizza biases because it’s hearty, smoky and delicious.

Makes 4 hearty dinner servings, or 9 appetizer-size portions

1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 pound eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch-thick rounds
1 pound store-bought pizza or homemade pizza dough at room temperature (1 1/2 of this recipe will yield a 1-pound dough)
5 ounces sliced provolone, cut into short thin matchsticks (1 1/4 cups)
Handful pitted green olives, coarsely chopped (1/3 cup)
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

To make this pizza on a grill, or in a grill pan: Stir together garlic and oil. Brush some of garlic oil on both sides of eggplant and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Grill over direct medium heat, covered, turning once, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes total. Cut into roughly one-inch pieces and set aside.

Stretch dough into about a 12- by 10-inch rectangle (or into the shape of your grill pan, which in my case, was square) on a large baking sheet or your counter and lightly brush with garlic oil. Oil grill rack, then put dough, oiled side down, on grill. Brush top with more garlic oil. Grill, covered, until underside is golden-brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Using tongs, return crust, grilled side up, to baking sheet. Scatter eggplant, cheese, olives, and parsley (whoops, forgot mine) over crust. Slide pizza from sheet onto grill and grill, covered, until underside is golden-brown and cheese is melted, about 3 to 5 minutes. (If you’re using an oven-safe grill pan, you can slide the pan into a preheated 500 degree oven at this point, as we did, which gets the toppings that much more blistered.) Season to taste with salt, pepper and a red pepper flakes.

To make this pizza in the oven: You can either fry or roast the eggplant slices, brushed with garlic oil, until tender. Prepare the pizza as you would any other, rolling or stretching out the dough, mounding on the toppings and sliding it onto a baking sheet or pizza stone in an oven that has been preheated to its top temperature. It will be ready in about 10 minutes.

Pasta alla norma

From Cook's Illustrated

Serves 4. Published July 1, 2009. From Cook's Illustrated.

We call for both regular and extra-virgin olive oil in this recipe. The higher smoke point of regular olive oil makes it best for browning the eggplant; extra-virgin olive oil stirred into the sauce before serving lends fruity flavor. If you don’t have regular olive oil, use vegetable oil. We prefer kosher salt in step 1 because it clings best to the eggplant. If using table salt, reduce the amount to ½ teaspoon. Ricotta salata is traditional, but French feta, Pecorino Romano, and Cotija (a firm, crumbly Mexican cheese) are acceptable substitutes; see “Ricotta Salata’s Understudies,” below. Our preferred brands of crushed tomatoes are Tuttorosso and Muir Glen.

Ingredients

1	large eggplant (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
	Kosher salt (see note)
3	tablespoons olive oil (see note)
4	medium garlic cloves , mined or pressed through garlic press (about 4 teaspoons)
2	anchovy fillets , minced (about 1 generous teaspoon)
1/4-1/2	teaspoon red pepper flakes
1	(28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (see note)
1	pound ziti , rigatoni, or penne
6	tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1	tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3	ounces ricotta salata , shredded (about 1 cup) (see note)

Instructions

1. 1. Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Line surface of large microwave-safe plate with double layer of coffee filters and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Spread eggplant in even layer over coffee filters; wipe out and reserve bowl. Microwave eggplant on high power, uncovered, until dry to touch and slightly shriveled, about 10 minutes, tossing once halfway through to ensure that eggplant cooks evenly. Let cool slightly.

2. 2. Transfer eggplant to now-empty bowl, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and toss gently to coat; discard coffee filters and reserve plate. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add eggplant and distribute in even layer. Cook, stirring or tossing every 1½ to 2 minutes (more frequent stirring may cause eggplant pieces to break apart), until well browned and fully tender, about 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and transfer eggplant to now-empty plate and set aside.

3. 3. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, anchovies, and pepper flakes to now-empty but still-hot skillet and cook using residual heat so garlic doesn’t burn, stirring constantly, until fragrant and garlic becomes pale golden, about 1 minute (if skillet is too cool to cook mixture, set it over medium heat). Add tomatoes, return skillet to burner over medium-high heat, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.

4. 4. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil. Add pasta and 2 tablespoons salt and cook until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water; drain pasta and transfer back to cooking pot.

5. 5. While pasta is cooking, return eggplant to skillet with tomatoes and gently stir to incorporate. Bring to simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring gently occasionally, until eggplant is heated through and flavors are blended, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir basil and extra-virgin olive oil into sauce; season to taste with salt. Add sauce to cooked pasta, adjusting consistency with reserved pasta cooking water so that sauce coats pasta. Serve immediately, sprinkled with ricotta salata.

Ricotta Salata's Understudies

Ricotta salata, a firm, tangy Italian sheep’s-milk cheese that bears little resemblance to the moist ricotta sold in tubs, is an essential component of traditional pasta alla Norma. If you can’t find it, consider these options instead.

FRENCH FETA
Milder but tangy, this is a close cousin to ricotta salata in flavor and texture.

PECORINO ROMANO
Hard and dry, with a slightly more assertive aroma and flavor than ricotta salata.

COTIJA
Made with cow's milk, this Mexican cheese has a firm yet crumbly texture, but is less complex than ricotta salata.


Take Heed of Seeds

Bulbous globe eggplants not only contain far fewer seeds than smaller sister varieties like Italian and Chinese, but their firm flesh retains shape even after cooking, making them an ideal choice in virtually any cooking application.

The veggie burger

From Washingtonian.com

How To Build a Better Burger, part 4

The Veggie Burger

By Haidar Karoum of Asia Nora

For the patties:

1/4 cup dried chickpeas
1/4 cup dried red lentils
1/4 cup dried fava beans
1 tablespoon bulgur wheat
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup minced parsley
1/4 cup minced cilantro
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon ground anise
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

For toppings:

1/2 cup labne (available at Whole Foods)
2 cups arugula
2 heirloom tomatoes (preferably Cherokee Purple), sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
1/2 cup smoked eggplant-lemon vinaigrette (recipe follows)
4 small rounds of whole-wheat pita bread, toasted

Soak the chickpeas, lentils, and fava beans in water overnight. Rinse the bulgur wheat in cold water, drain, and let stand for 20 minutes. Put all patty ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor and pulse until thoroughly mixed, about 4 minutes. Shape into 4 patties.

Heat the olive oil in a pan set over medium heat. Sautee the patties until browned, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels.

Top each burger with labne and stuff into pita, then garnish with arugula, tomato, red onion, and vinaigrette.

Vinaigrette (makes two cups):

1 eggplant
¾ cup olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon for rubbing eggplant
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons tahini
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon sambal olek (available at Whole Foods)

Set a grill or broiler to high heat. Rub the eggplant with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill or broil, turning often, for about 20 minutes, until tender. Cool, peel, and discard the skin. Puree the eggplant in a blender with the remaining ingredients until smooth. Season to taste.

The Imam Fainted (Patlıjan İmambayıldı)

From "Turkish Recipes", selected and tested by the Cooking Group of the Turkish American Women's Cultural Society, Ankara, Turkey, 1952. Purchased in 1956 in Turkey.

· 5 medium onions
· 3 large tomatoes
· 1 cup olive oil (Wesson oil can be used instead)
· 1 tsp salt
· 4 medium eggplants (long, thin ones)
· 1 clove garlic, minced
· 1 bunch parsley, chopped
· 1 tbsp granulated sugar

1. Halve and thinly slice the onions and place in a bowl. Add tomatoes, peeled and cut in small pieces, garlic, parsley, and 1/2 tsp salt. Set aside after mixing thoroughly.

2. Peel the eggplants to within an inch of each end so that they have 4 white stripes and 4 purple stripes of equal width. Slash by running a knife along the white stripes to within an inch of the ends. Place the stuffing of onions, tomatoes, garlic, and parsley in the slashes. Arrange in a casserole. Add olive oil and 2 1/2 cups water, sugar, and remaining salt. Place a china plate over eggplants to preserve arrangement during subsequent boiling. Cover the casserole tightly and cook over brisk fire until eggplants are tender (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours). Remove from fire and allow to cool before removing eggplants to platter.