Description
This frying pan pizza features a homemade dough topped with a rich garlic and passata sauce, tender golden aubergine slices, creamy ricotta, and fresh mint. Cooked entirely on the stovetop, it offers a deliciously crispy base and vibrant Mediterranean flavors without the need for an oven.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 200g strong white bread flour, plus a little for dusting
- ½ tsp fast-action dried yeast
- ¼ tsp golden caster sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 125ml warm water
- a little oil, for greasing
Sauce
- 4 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 200g passata
- pinch of golden caster sugar (optional)
Toppings
- 1 small aubergine, sliced into discs
- 100g ricotta
- small handful mint, roughly chopped
- extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, combine the strong white bread flour, fast-action dried yeast, golden caster sugar, and salt. Add the warm water and mix to form a soft dough. Tip onto a floured work surface and knead for 5 minutes until the dough feels stretchy.
- First rise: Clean and grease the bowl, return the dough to it, cover with cling film, and leave in a warm place for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Prepare the sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan. Add the sliced garlic and gently sizzle for 30 seconds, taking care not to brown the garlic. Add the passata, season well, and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes rich. Add a pinch of caster sugar if the sauce tastes too tart. Set aside.
- Shape the dough: Once risen, knock out the air from the dough and roll it into a pizza base sized to your frying pan. Lightly oil the dough surface, cover with cling film, and let it rest for 15 minutes to puff up a little.
- Cook the aubergine: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the frying pan and fry the aubergine slices in a single layer (cook in batches if necessary). Season well and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until tender and golden. Transfer to a dish and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Cook the pizza base: Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the frying pan. Carefully lift the dough into the pan, reshaping if needed. Cook over low-medium heat until the underside is golden and the edges look dry and set, about 6 minutes.
- Flip and finish cooking: Flip the dough over, drizzle a little extra oil around the edges so it seeps underneath. Cook for another 5-6 minutes until golden and cooked through.
- Assemble pizza: Reheat the sauce if needed and spread it evenly over the pizza base. Top with the warm aubergine slices, dollops of ricotta, scatter the chopped mint, and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil before serving.
Notes
- Use a non-stick frying pan for best results to prevent sticking.
- You can substitute aubergine with other vegetables like zucchini or mushrooms if preferred.
- For a crisper base, allow dough to rest a bit longer before cooking.
- Adjust cooking heat carefully to avoid burning the pizza or aubergine.
- Mint adds a fresh contrast but can be omitted if unavailable.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: frying pan pizza, aubergine pizza, ricotta pizza, stovetop pizza, easy pizza recipe, vegetarian pizza
