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Rania's Recipes: Homemade Mozzarella & Grilled Eggplant Pizza

Rania Harris stopped by Pittsburgh Today Live on Wednesday to show off some great recipes with fresh mozzarella and even how to make your own!

Homemade Mozzarella

  • 3# Fresh Mozzarella Curd
  • 6 quarts Saline Solution (1 cup iodized salt and 6 quarts of water)
  • 6 quarts Water
  • ½ cup Iodized Salt

Directions:

Break up the fresh mozzarella curd and place in a large kitchen bowl.

Bring 6 quarts of water and ½ cup salt up to 180° or right before a boil.

Pour 2 quarts of the hot water over the curd. Stir with a wooden spoon and strain off the water and repeat the process.

With the last third of hot water, pour onto the curd. At this step you will form the shape of the mozzarella and quickly place in your saline solution.

It will rest there for ten minutes and is ready to serve.

Grilled Eggplant Pizza

  • 3 eggplants, about 3 pounds total, sliced ¾ inches thick
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing on vegetables + about 1/4 cup
  • 2 large red bell peppers – roasted and julienned
  • 2 Boboli Pizza Shells
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
  • About 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives
  • About ½ pound buffalo mozzarella cheese, coarsely shredded
  • About 3 cups packed arugula
  • Balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Prepare the grill and let burn down to medium coals or heat gas grill on medium heat.

In a colander set over another bowl, salt the eggplant and let drain for 30 minutes then rinse and dry.

Brush the eggplant slices with olive oil and season with pepper. Toss the peppers with a little olive oil. Place both on the grill and cook the eggplant until browned on the first side, about 3 minutes. The slices should be browned between the grill marks when ready to turn. Move them away from direct heat and cook on the second side until tender, about 10 minutes total. Cut the grilled slices into ½ -inch dice.

Have the grill ready at medium heat.

Brush each Boboli round with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place on a pizza stone, oiled side up, and cook until browned on the underside, about 2 minutes. Scatter each shell with ½ each of the garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, eggplant, bell peppers, olives, and cheese. Cover the grill and cook until the rounds are browned on the bottom and the cheese has softened, about 7 minutes. Top each pizza with an equal amount of the arugula. Spritz lightly with vinegar. Serve immediately.

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