Eggplant Mini Pizzas

On my weekly grocery shopping excursion, I always try to stick to my usual shopping list, which consists mainly of fresh vegetables, fruit and  whole wheat pastas and breads. I always search, though, for something a little different as well. This time the eggplants looked especially nice, so I got one. The next day I  realized there was no way I was going to have time to make Eggplant Parmesan. I decided to get creative and came up with these Eggplant Mini Pizzas. I think these would be a great healthy item for kids too, and they might even enjoy helping to make them.

Eggplant Mini Pizza Recipe: 

Eggplant Mini Pizzas with Mozzarella

• 1 medium sized eggplant - uniformly cylindrical, if possible
• your favorite pasta sauce (I used Barilla Tomato & Basil)
• 1 8oz bar of Mozzarella cheese, or Asiago cheese
• Approx. 1/8 of a "log" of Goat's Milk Cheese
• Italian Seasoning, Oregano, Thyme, salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the ends off the eggplant and take the skin off with a potato peeler. (Working from one cut end will make it easyier to start a strip to peel. Cut the peeled eggplant crosswise into 1/4 inch thick pieces and place on a cookie sheet.
Spoon  your pasta sauce onto each slice (about a tablespoon full of sauce on each). Sprinkle on seasonings. Top with thin slices of  Mozzarella or Asiago (or perhaps a combination on the two). Asiago is a hard enough cheese that you can actually use the potato peeler to shave off pieces.
Sprinkle crumbled Goat Cheese on top. I used a fork to scrape the goat cheese log while holding it over the eggplants and let the crumbles fall where they willed.
Place in the oven on the middle rack and cook for 40 minutes. (Check for browning edges after about 30-35 minutes.)

Eggplant Mini Pizzas with Mozzarella and Goat Cheeses

Eggplant Mini Pizzas with Asiago and Goat Cheeses

I preferred the mini pizzas with the Asiago.  Give these a try and let me know which you prefer. Or if you make any changes that make them even more tasty,  please let me know. I know I will be making these again, because the leftovers, like most Italian style foods, were even better,  just heating them up in the microwave!