Italian Sausage and Eggplant Flatbread

Chef's notes

I love the combination of eggplant, sausage and blended Italian cheese.

Select eggplant that are ripe and mature. To help ensure eggplant isn’t bitter, I also disgorge them. One technique is to salt eggplant that are cubed or sliced. In time and through osmosis, they “sweat” their bitterness out.

Finishing with parmigiana cheese is optional and offers an additional punch of flavor. I apply about halfway through cooking to prevent burning.

Recipe will make one flatbread for 8 to 10 ounces of pizza dough. Easily increase proportions for larger pizza or multiple flatbread.

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Ingredients

1 medium eggplant
Kosher salt
Flour for dredging
Vegetable oil
8-10 ounces pizza dough formed into a flatbread
Tomato, preferably from San Marzano Italy
Dry Italian seasoning mix or oregano
½ cup shredded 5 Italian cheeses
½ pound ground Italian sausage meat
Olive oil
¼ cup shredded parmigiana cheese (or more to taste)

Instructions

Remove eggplant tips and peel. Cut into ¼ inch rounds. Lightly salt slices and place in a pasta strainer over a bowl or the sink. Eggplant will begin to sweat, releasing their bitter liquid. After about an hour, wipe slices with paper towel removing most salt and moisture.
Dredge slices in flour and lightly brown both sides in a sauté pan with oil. Tip, when eggplant’s uncooked surface becomes moist, time to flip. Remove to paper towel.
Preheat oven to 525º , direct heat not convection.
When ready, form flatbread as discussed under dough basics and placing either in a cookie sheet brushed with oil or wooden paddle with course corn meal if cooking on a stone.
Spread dough with ground tomato to within ¾ inch of dough’s edges. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning or dried oregano. Sprinkle with shredded 5 Italian cheeses. Place eggplant over cheeses and dot with pinches of ground Italian sausage. Drizzle with olive oil.
Spread with shredded 5 Italian cheese. Layer with eggplant and top with pinches of sausages. Drizzle with olive oil and place in the oven.
After about 5 minutes, top with shredded parmigiana cheese. Finishing bake until parmigiana is melted and flatbread is toasted on top and bottom. Please see picture.

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Italian Sausage and Eggplant Flatbread