What to get...

• 1 ball fresh pizza dough, floured
• 2-3 vine-ripened, red tomatoes (pretty ripe), slice & deseed/remove guts!
• 1 ball fresh buffalo mozzarella sliced thin-medium
• shredded Parm-mozzarella cheese blend
• lemon, for zesting
• ~ 2T balsamic vinegar for lightly marinating tomatoes & mozz.
• fresh basil (about 5 big leaves, or many smaller), chopped
• 1 jar fresh authentic Italian marinara, like Rao's regular or arrabbiata.
• 2-3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• EVOO for brushing crust for initial browning
• corn meal for dusting bottom of pizza dough
• S&P

What to do...

1. Preheat oven and baking stone (if you're using) to 475 degrees.
2. Slice tomatoes and fresh mozz thinly, and drizzle with good balsamic, setting aside for use at end of pizza. (drain any/all access fluid).
3. Roll fresh dough into pizza crust shape at desired thickness (thin better), making sure to flour rolling pin & work surface well.
4. With fork poke small holes in raw dough throughout (to avoid bubbling-up in oven).
5. Using a lightly-oiled, large baking pan, or just a baking stone, apply thin layer of corn meal & carefully transfer rolled-out dough for baking in oven.
6. Brush raw dough with light extra virgin olive oil, and salt & pepper to taste.
7. Transfer pan/preheated stone back in oven, and brown crust alone for about 10-15 min depending on thickness. (You want edges & bottom of dough to firm a bit)
8. Once dough begins to bake, slide out from oven and apply even layer of sauce and minced garlic. Bake another 8-10 min.
9. Now increase oven temp to 500 degrees & add even layer of shredded parm cheese mix, baking till crust begins to brown.
10. Once crust is browning, you can add the slices of tomato and mozzarella alternating over pie.
11. Bake several mins until melted.
12. Remove from oven making sure crust is browned and add chopped basil and lemon zest on top.
13. Cut with a sharp pizza cutter, and eat immediately!

Notes

http://www.dinnervine.com/2012/07/pizza-eat-repeat/

from the kitchen of www.dinnervine.com

What to get...

• 10 baby eggplant, fresh
• 1 package fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese (round)
• 1 jar good marinara, like Rao's (or homemade!)
• 2 cups dry Italian bread crumbs
• 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 T Fresh chopped Italian parsley
• ~ 2 T grated Italian cheese blend (like parm reggiano)
• EVOO (I used a basil infused variety)
• S&P (to taste)
• Fresh basil, (enough for garnish of 20 eggplant halves)

What to do...

1. Slice buffalo mozz into small segments rounds, (about size of eggplant), enough for 20 small halves & set aside.
2. Rinse eggplant & slice off top green stem, slice into halves, lengthwise.
3. Rub a bit of kosher salt onto flesh side of baby eggplant halves, to draw-out some fluid that can be bitter, let sit about 15 minutes).
4. Dab off drawn fluid from surface of halves and score flesh, without piercing skin at bottom, into criss-cross pattern (this will make groves to press our bread crumbs into).
5. In a pan on stove lightly toast the dry bread crumbs on medium-low (takes about 8 min or so)
6. In a mixing bowl combine bread crumbs, chopped parsley, garlic, grated cheese, S&P to taste, and about 3 T of EVOO, or enough to make dry mix combine, but not saturated) Mix well.
7. Press small amount of dry mix onto surface of eggplant halves, working down into groves. Coat surface well.
8. In a large flat skillet on stove, add a bout 1 T of oil to coat pan. Place eggplant halves in pan, skin side down. begin to cook on medium-low.
9. In another pot warm marinara, set aside for plating.
10. Cooking time may vary, but watch eggplant to see how tender they become. When they appear flatter and tender throughout (you can poke with fork to sees). About 10 min or so.
11. Add a slice of mozz that covers top of eggplant half. I put a lid on for a second to help melt, but remove quickly doesn't get soggy. Let mozz melt.
12. Prepare shallow serving bowl with enough marinara to coat bottom, then arrange eggplant bakes on top.
13. Top each with fresh basil, & serve!

Notes

http://www.dinnervine.com/2012/04/baby-eggplant-parmesan-bake/

from the kitchen of www.dinnervine.com