Eggplant Pizzettes

Ever since trying the Eggplant Yu Sheng at the Noble House in Hudson, Ohio, I have fallen in love with eggplants. I am always looking for interesting ways to prepare them and have never actually tried the traditional dish of Eggplant Parmesan. It's not that I would be opposed to it, I just have never been a marinara sauce kinda girl. I would love to try it, but I probably won't spend my time making it.

I stumbled upon this recipe in my quest for tasty eggplant recipes and now I make it almost weekly because it seems to be one of Richard's favorites. I love to serve these Eggplant Pizzettes with a side of couscous.

The only alterations I have made to this recipe is that I bake the eggplants instead of broiling, I use jarred sun-dried tomatoes instead of dried ones, which saves a step, and I use goat cheese instead of provolone.

Go ahead and slice your eggplants into 1/2 inch thick rounds and brush BOTH sides with olive oil. Then pop them in the oven at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

  Meanwhile, chop up your sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces.

 Mix your bbq sauce, balsamic vinegar, and sun-dried tomatoes together in a small bowl.

 When the eggplants come out of the oven, spoon a bit of the sauce mix from above onto each round. Then top with your choice of cheese (I used crumbled goat cheese) and your chopped pecan pieces. Walnuts would probably taste just as good!

Then put the pizzettes back in the oven at 400 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes, just enough time to heat up the sauce and melt the cheese.

 While the pizzettes are in their final stage of baking, you can prepare the couscous according to the directions on the box. I like to top my couscous with diced tomatoes and fresh basil.

 When the eggplant pizzettes come out of the oven, add your fresh basil or mint. (I have never actually tried the fresh mint, only the basil.)

 This dish will go over well with those that enjoy the tanginess of balsamic vinegar and the sweetness of the bbq sauce.

 All of this is making my mouth water. I better go see if there are any leftovers remaining...

Side Note:

I had some assistance from Miss Macy with the production of this post.