Roasted aubergine turns silky and savoury beneath a glossy miso glaze, while mozzarella, toasted sesame and sharp spring onion keep every slice balanced. This Japanese-inspired pizza delivers deep umami flavour on a crisp, blistered base.
Useful tools: A pizza steel and a digital kitchen scale can help produce a crisper base and more consistent dough portions. These are Amazon affiliate links; Pizza 0 may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Ingredients
- 1 medium aubergine (eggplant), cut into 8 mm rounds
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 tablespoon white miso
- 2 teaspoons mirin, or 1 teaspoon honey mixed with 1 teaspoon water
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 ball pizza dough (about 250 g), at room temperature
- 90 g low-moisture mozzarella, grated
- 40 g fresh mozzarella, well drained and torn
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon chilli oil, optional
- Flour or semolina, for dusting
- Fine salt
Method
- Heat the oven to 230°C. Brush the aubergine with neutral oil, season lightly with salt and arrange on a lined tray. Roast for 12–15 minutes, turning once, until tender and browned at the edges.
- Mix the miso, mirin, soy sauce and sesame oil. Brush the glaze over both sides of the warm aubergine.
- Raise the oven to its highest setting. Preheat a pizza steel, pizza stone or an upside-down heavy baking tray for at least 35–45 minutes.
- On a lightly floured surface, stretch the dough into a roughly 30 cm round, leaving a slightly thicker rim.
- Scatter over the grated mozzarella. Arrange the glazed aubergine on top, then tuck the torn fresh mozzarella between the slices.
- Bake for 8–12 minutes, until the base is crisp, the cheese is bubbling and the crust is deeply blistered.
- Finish with spring onion, toasted sesame seeds and a light drizzle of chilli oil, if using. Slice and serve immediately.
Pizza 0 tip
Keep the miso glaze on the aubergine rather than spreading it across the dough. You still get plenty of savoury flavour, but the centre of the pizza stays crisp instead of becoming damp.
Make it your own
Add a handful of roasted shiitake mushrooms for extra depth, or replace the mozzarella with your favourite plant-based melting cheese. A squeeze of lime just before serving gives the rich glaze a bright finish.