Eggplant and Sausage Pizza

Rainy day pizza making over here. I love this combination. It's spicy and super filling and you still get your veggies. I also love anything with cheese and eggplant! Mmmmmmm. Scroll down for the recipe.

Eggplant Chicken Sausage Pizza

Ingredients

1 large eggplant (1 1/4 pound)

3 spicy full cooked chicken sausages (casings removed)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup pizza sauce

1 (1/4-ounce) package fast-acting yeast

2/3 cup warm water (110-115°F.)

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 ounces grated mozzarella (1 cup)

1/2 cup grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

Directions

1. To make the dough dissolve yeast in warm water. Blend flour and salt in a food processor. Add oil and blend. With the mixer running, add yeast mixture all at once, blending until dough forms a ball. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface 5 minutes. Put in an oiled large bowl and turn to coat. Let rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. While dough is rising, put a pizza stone on lowest rack of oven (remove other racks) and preheat oven to 450°F.

2. Slice your chicken sausage into 1/2" slices and fry in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat for 5-8 minutes until golden brown and slightly crispy. Set aside. 

3. Cut eggplant into 1/3-inch-thick rounds and arrange in 1 layer on a foil-lined large baking sheet. Lightly brush both sides with oil and season with salt. Broil 2 to 3 inches from heat until golden brown and tender, 5 minutes on each side. Set aside.

4. Once dough has risen, dust dough with flour on a floured surface, then shape and stretch into a 6" x 14" rectangle and transfer to baking sheet or set aside for pizza stone.

5. Spoon tomato sauce over the center of the pizza. Toss together cheeses and sprinkle 1/4 over dough. Cover with eggplant (overlapping the pieces) and slices of cooked chicken sausage. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

6. Heat oil in a small skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook garlic and red pepper, stirring, until just fragrant, 30 to 40 seconds. Spoon evenly over entire pizza, brushing on the sides of the crust. 

7. Using a pizza peel, transfer pizza to stone and bake until dough is crisp and browned, about 12 to 15 minutes. Slide peel under pizza to remove from oven.