Caramelized Eggplant and Fresh Tomato Pizza

Friday is pizza day at my house.

And it's also time for a fantastic Foodie Friday celebration at

Designs by Gollum

Michael Lee is our gracious hostess with the mostess 

so I hope you will join me there for this wonderful event. 

I know you will enjoy it.

Wolfgang Puck's pizza dough recipe is one of my favorites and is quick and easy to prepare. The flavor of the crust improves if the dough rests in the refrigerator for several days so I try to remember to prepare it on Tuesday or Wednesday.  When you are ready to make your pizza let the dough come to room temperature and shape it into a 14" round on a sheet of parchment paper (The recipe will make 2 this size). Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes. I started using paper after I flipped a whole unbaked pizza upside down in my hot oven when I tried to slide it onto a hot stone. The pizza is always perfectly shaped and has a nicely browned bottom crust.  It's the only way to go, believe me.  Brush the formed dough with olive oil and bake on a pizza stone for 5 minutes in your oven that has been preheated for 20 minutes to 500 degrees.

Remove the pie from the oven and lightly spread with well seasoned tomato sauce, sliced red onion, kalamata olives, lots of mozzarella and feta cheese and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes and return it to the hot oven for 6-8 minutes, or until the cheese is almost melted.

Remove pie from the oven and top with caramelized eggplant* and bake for another 4-6 minutes or until nicely browned. Remove from the oven and add a final topping of chopped tomatoes, basil and parsley.

* To caramelize eggplant, cut a medium eggplant into 1" cubes, season with salt and pepper, and saute in a generous 4 tablespoons of olive oil  in a medium-hot skillet until golden brown and soft.  When the cubes begin to brown  sprinkle them with 1 teaspoon sugar to get the caramelization process going.  Watch carefully so they don't burn.  This takes from 5-7 minutes.

The fun thing about pizza is that there are endless topping combinations, especially in the summer when the market is full of vegetables, and they are all good.  Except pineapple, don't like that...no, no, no.  

I love roasted tomatoes and peppers, pesto, mushrooms....

What's your favorite topping?