Mediterranean Pizza With Caramelized Onions

"Is this time consuming? Yes. Is it worth it? I thought so, hope you do too. If you can get past the ingredients and instructions, you are in for a true taste delight. When preparing this just think it is 3 wonderful recipes that come together to create 1 terrific pizza! The onions, eggplant and peppers can be prepared ahead and kept refrigerated for up to 24 hours before using."
 
Download
photo by Lois M photo by Lois M
photo by Lois M
photo by Leslie photo by Leslie
photo by Leslie photo by Leslie
photo by  Pamela photo by  Pamela
photo by  Pamela photo by  Pamela
Ready In:
2hrs
Ingredients:
30
Serves:
4-6
Advertisement

ingredients

Advertisement

directions

  • To caramelize the onions, heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet, add onions, garlic and herbs. Cook over low heat for 45 minutes or until onions are soft and most of the moisture has evaporated. Discard the bay leaf; add salt and pepper to taste.
  • To roast the bell peppers, core, cut in half and place on broiler pan skin side up; preheat broiler to high and place peppers under broiler for 10 to 15 minutes or until skin blackens. With a pair of tongs, place the cooked peppers in a paper bag, fold top closed, and cool for 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle remove skin and slice into thin strips.
  • To roast the eggplant and tomatoes, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray an ovenproof pan with non-stick cooking spray; add the eggplant, tomatoes, basil, capers and drizzle with olive oil, place in oven and cook for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice. When eggplant is cooked, add pepper to taste.
  • For the toppings, finely mince the fresh herbs or crush the dried herbs; add the herbs to 3 tablespoons olive oil and warm until herbs are fragrant. Set aside while preparing crust.
  • In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast and sugar over 1 cup warm water; stir to mix. Allow to stand for 5 minutes or until bubbly. In a medium size bowl, combine the flours and measure 1 1/2 cups; set aside. Add the salt to the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour; stir in yeast and oil. Gradually add the reserved flour until dough is soft but not sticky. Knead until smooth; place in a bowl that has been lightly oiled with olive oil. Allow to rise for 20 minutes or until double in size.
  • While assembling the pizza, preheat oven to 475 degrees; oil a large pizza pan (15 inch) with olive oil. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 times; roll into desired size, stretch dough to sides of pan forming crust around the edges.
  • Brush dough within 1/4 inch of crust with olive oil and herb mixture, top with crumbled feta cheese, onions, eggplant mixture, bell peppers and olives. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over all and lightly drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is lightly brown.
  • Serve immediately with additional parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.
  • Pleasse Note: Do not put hot toppings on pizza crust. Toppings should be at least room temperature.

Questions & Replies

Got a question? Share it with the community!
Advertisement

Reviews

  1. Didn't have eggplant but otherwise made as written. Threw on some prosciutto I had left over.
     
  2. Agree with all the previous reviewers - this is one awesome pizza. Kids didn't care for it, but DH and I couldn't stop eating it. I did the toppings the previous day and used a prepared crust so assembly was fast yesterday. I thought everything was perfect together. Thanks.
     
  3. What can I say that hasn't already been said? This is an amazing pizza and I can't recommend it highly enough! Didn't take too long at all - I made all the toppings for this along with 2 other "gourmet" pizzas in under 2 hours. And the work was definately worth it! Thanks so much for posting your fab recipe!
     
  4. Well my family rated this more than 5 stars! I made the pizza crust more wholemeal than white - a bit healthier. Also I substituted the eggplant for zucchini (courgettes) and pumpkin and roast baby tomatoes - otherwise followed recipe but cut way down on the oil and it worked wonderfully!
     
  5. Can I give it more than 5 stars? It was definitely time consuming (3 hrs. total for me), but so well worth it!!!! Pour yourself a glass of Merlot have fun making it and most of all eating it! As a matter of fact....I've just decided I'm making it again tonight!
     
Advertisement

Tweaks

  1. Well my family rated this more than 5 stars! I made the pizza crust more wholemeal than white - a bit healthier. Also I substituted the eggplant for zucchini (courgettes) and pumpkin and roast baby tomatoes - otherwise followed recipe but cut way down on the oil and it worked wonderfully!
     

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

I came to this site in March of 2004. It was then called Recipezaar. This site was the first on-line site that I ever joined. I first popped in 2003 while searching for a Peach Cobbler Recipe. In March of 2004, DH was having shoulder surgery and I was looking for a Split Pea Soup. Once again I found myself on Zaar as it came to be called. Over the years I hung out and learned from some of the best home cooks in the country, I posted over 700 recipes on the site, reviewed over 3500 recipes and posted over 3000 food photos. Over the next 10 years the site made many changes and in 2010 it was sold to to Food Network and became Food.com. Until last year we played games, talked and shared with one another. As a result of the community and the relationships I built I got to meet some wonderful people from all over the country. I also have a great number of friends that I have never meet face to face. Some of us still hang out at various places across the net. Zaar was more than a cooking community. It was an internet community of friendship. Life is an adventure ever changing.
 
View Full Profile
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Find More Recipes