Smokey, grilled eggplant tossed in a tangy balsamic glaze crowns this decadent vegetarian flatbread dressed in a thin layer of mascarpone cheese, fresh mozzarella pearls, and sweet cherry tomatoes.

Ingredients:

• 1 Eggplant
• 2-3 cloves of Garlic (diced)
• 2 tbsp Balsamic Glaze
• Salt and Pepper for seasoning
• 1 ball of Pizza Dough
• 1/2 cup Mascarpone
• 4 oz fresh Mozzarella balls
• 1/2 pint of Cherry Tomatoes sliced in half

Directions:

1. An hour or two before assembling your flatbreads:
   1. Grill eggplant over open flames until the skin has blackened and the flesh has cooked through.
   2. Allow to cool slightly or place into an ice bath.
   3. Peel off the skin.
   4. Dice up eggplant flesh.
   5. Stir the eggplant, garlic, and balsamic glaze together.
   6. Season with salt and pepper.
   7. Set aside to marinate.
2. An hour before baking, preheat your oven to 500 F (~260 C). If you have a pizza-stone or bread-stone place it in the oven before turning it on, if not, place a large upside down baking sheet directly on the oven rack before preheating – this will act as a faux pizza stone.
   1. This is also a good time to remove your pizza dough from the fridge, and let it rest at room temperature.
3. Stretch out your pizza dough, and lay it out on a piece of parchment paper, lining a lip-free or upside down baking sheet.
4. Spread the mascarpone evenly out across the dough.
5. Sprinkle on the eggplant, garlic, mozzarella, and cherry tomatoes.
6. Use the lip-free or upside down baking sheet to slide the flatbread into the oven onto the preheated pizza stone – the parchment paper should stay with the flatbread.
7. Reduce the heat to 450 F (~232 C).
8. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese has started to brown.