Hearty Aubergine Pizza Sauce

When I make pizza, I usually make a very simple pizza sauce made from tomato puree, garlic and herbs, but this time I wanted something a bit more gutsy, especially as Graham wouldn't be having any cheese on his pizza.

Così Com'è

Così Com'è sent me some of their wonderful Italian jarred tomatoes to try, so I decided to put them to good use. 

I teamed red datterino tomatoes, which are sweet, with aubergine, garlic and thyme to make the most flavourful sauce for my pizzas.

I wanted the sauce to retain all the beautiful flavour and still be fresh, so I cooked it quickly in my wok.

I topped my pizza with lots of pizza sauce, mozzarella, mushrooms and basil.

Graham had pizza sauce with no cheese and piled his pizza high with red onion, mushrooms, green bell pepper and sweetcorn.

Cooper had the same as his uncle Lachlan. Pizza sauce, mozzarella and lots of sweetcorn. I swear Cooper gets more like his uncle Lachlan every day, but that is another story.

I'll definitely be making this sauce again. Sweet and fresh, but gutsy, with a tang of garlic and the earthy hints of fresh thyme. It's a keeper!

print recipe

Hearty Aubergine Pizza Sauce

Written by Jacqueline Meldrum

November 4, 2012

This pizza sauce teams sweet tomatoes, with hearty aubergine, garlic and fresh thyme to make a fresh, but hearty sauce to spread on pizza dough or toss through pasta.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp cold pressed rapeseed oil
• 1 jar Così Com'è red datterino tomatoes (or good quality tinned tomatoes in juice)
• 1 aubergine, chopped into small cubes
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• a few sprigs fresh thyme
• a good grinding of freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the rapeseed oil in a wok, then add the aubergine and cook for a few minutes until they start to soften.2. Add the garlic and toss through the aubergine.3. Break the tomatoes down a little with you hands and add to the aubergines, along with the juice.4. Add the thyme (scrap the leaves from their stalks and add them) and season with black pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes, then taste to check the seasoning. If you are using tinned tomatoes, you may want to add a pinch of sugar as they can be a little bitter.5. Spread on pizza dough or toss through freshly cooked pasta.6. Enjoy!

Details

Total time: 10 mins
Yield: 4 servings

Good Quality Rapeseed Oil

I have to mention the rapeseed oil. I've started using cold pressed rapeseed oil in my cooking. At the Scottish Food Bloggers Conference, executive chef Justin Galea, told us he only cooks with cold pressed rapeseed oil and in his opinion, it is the best oil you can buy. Here are a few facts.

Rapeseed Oil:

• has a mild nutty taste
• has a high smoking point, making it more suitable to use in a wok than olive oil.
• contains 7% saturated fat compared to 14% in olive oil or 51% in butter
• it's high in omega-3 and omega-6
• it's high in vitamin E
• cold pressed rapeseed oil contains no trans fats

Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil

 
I received some rather lovely pure cold pressed rapeseed oils from Cooks&Co, which I have been cooking with and using in dressings.

I was particularly excited by their Butter Taste Rapeseed Oil. 

I was quite astonished to find it did taste of butter, but it is made using a natural, plant-based aroma and is lactose free.

I am going to try it in some vegan baking for Graham. I am hoping the butter flavour will shine through.

I'll keep you updated.

TRY THIS NEXT

Sheet Pan Aubergine (Eggplant) & Chickpea Bake

An easy aubergine, chickpea and spinach bake for a simple family dinner.

Disclosure: I was sent products by Così Com'è & Cooks&Co to try. I was not required to write a positive review and any views expressed are my own.