This burrata pizza is what I make when I’m craving really good food. Store-bought dough gets torn fresh mozzarella and a layer of eggplant cooked the Greek way, in plenty of olive oil with onion, tomato paste, and oregano, until it turns sweet and jammy. Creamy burrata goes on at the very end, followed by a bright tomato basil salad and, if you like, a drizzle of balsamic glaze. It’s a knife-and-fork pizza, eaten the way Italians eat theirs, and that’s half the pleasure.
If you love this burrata pizza, you will also love Ladenia, the authentic Greek pizza, and this trio of peinirli, Greek pizza boats.
Why you will love this pizza
Eggplant, cooked the Greek way
The eggplant is where this pizza gets its Mediterranean soul. I cook it the only way I know how, the Greek way: diced, browned slowly in a generous amount of good olive oil with red onion, then simmered briefly with tomato paste, a pinch of sugar, dried oregano, and a splash of water until it collapses into a thick, sweet sauce. It does the job of a pizza sauce with far more depth, and it’s just as good spooned over bread or eggs. If you love eggplant cooked this way, try my eggplant shakshuka too.
Here is what you need
For the pizza
- Store-bought pizza dough. You need about 1 pound (450 g) for two thin 12-inch pizzas. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes before shaping so it stretches without springing back. If you’d rather make your own, my go-to is the dough from Roberta’s in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
For the eggplant topping
- Eggplants. I love fairy tale eggplants, which are sweet and tender, but globe (American) eggplant works beautifully too.
- Red onion. One whole onion: half diced for the eggplant, half thinly sliced for the tomato salad.
- Tomato paste. It builds the sauce.
- Sugar. Just a pinch, to soften the acidity of the tomato paste.
- Extra virgin olive oil. Be generous. Eggplant needs it, and it’s what makes the topping taste Greek.
For the tomato salad topping
- Cherry tomatoes. They have good flavor all year round, even when big tomatoes are pale and watery.
- Garlic and fresh basil.
For the cheese
- Fresh mozzarella. One 125 g (4.4 oz) ball per pizza, torn by hand.
- Burrata. A fresh Italian cheese: a pouch of mozzarella filled with stracciatella, soft shreds of curd soaked in cream. Use two small 100 g (3.5 oz) balls, one per pizza, or one large 200 g (7 oz) burrata served on the side. It goes on fresh, after baking.
To finish
- Balsamic glaze (crema), optional. A drizzle at the table.
- Dried oregano, red chili pepper flakes, sea salt, and freshly ground pepper.
How to make burrata pizza
Get ready
Take the dough out of the fridge 30 to 60 minutes before shaping. Position the oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 500°F (260°C) for at least 30 minutes, ideally an hour. If you have a pizza stone, put it in now.
Tear the mozzarella into bite-size pieces and let it drain on paper towels while you cook. Fresh mozzarella releases a lot of liquid in a hot oven, and draining it keeps the center of the pizza from turning soggy.
Make the tomato salad
In a bowl, mix the halved cherry tomatoes, the sliced red onion, the garlic, olive oil, chopped basil, a pinch of oregano and chili flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Leave it at room temperature while you make the eggplant.
Make the eggplant topping
1. Heat half of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and one grated garlic clove with a pinch of salt and sauté for 2 minutes, until fragrant and translucent.
2. Add the eggplant and another pinch of salt. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the eggplant is soft and nicely browned.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add the water, sugar, oregano, a pinch of chili flakes, and salt.
5. Simmer for 5 minutes, until thick and jammy. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
6. Stretch each dough ball into a thin 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface and set it on a sheet of parchment paper. Scatter one torn mozzarella ball over the dough and spread half of the eggplant on top. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
Slide the pizza, parchment and all, onto the hot pizza stone.
Here’s a trick my best friend Karini taught me: as soon as the crust starts to rise and set, grab a corner of the parchment and quickly pull it out from under the pizza. You can build the pizza without worrying it will stick to the peel and tear on the way into the oven, and the crust still bakes directly on the stone.
7. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes in total, until the crust is golden and blistered and the mozzarella is bubbling.
The burrata never goes in the oven. Tear a small burrata over each hot pizza, or serve one large burrata whole in a bowl on the side. Top with the tomato salad and fresh basil, then drizzle with balsamic glaze if you like. Serve right away, with a knife and fork.
When to add burrata to pizza
After baking, always. Burrata is at its best fresh, so it never goes in the oven here. In the heat, the cream leaks out and the cheese loses the cool, creamy contrast that makes a burrata pizza worth making. Set on a hot pizza straight from the oven, it just barely softens at the edges while the center stays creamy.
There are two ways to serve it:
On the pizza. Set one small burrata (about 100 g / 3.5 oz) in the center of each pizza as it comes out of the oven, then tear it open.
On the side. Serve one large burrata (200 g / 7 oz) whole in a bowl next to the pizzas, and let everyone tear it over their own slice at the table.
This is a knife-and-fork pizza. With burrata, fresh tomatoes, and a saucy eggplant layer, some slices won’t hold up if you pick them up by hand, and that’s how it’s meant to be. Italians eat pizza like this with a fork and knife, and so do we.
FAQ
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Burrata Pizza with Eggplant
Equipment
- pizza stone (or an upside-down baking sheet, preheated); pizza peel; parchment paper
Ingredients
This recipe makes two 12-inch pizzas
For the pizza
- 1 lb store-bought pizza dough, (450 g) , divided into 2 balls
- 2 balls fresh mozzarella, (125 g / 4.4 oz each), torn
- 7 oz burrata, (200 g), 2 small balls (100 g each) or 1 large, at room temperature
For the eggplant topping
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ medium red onion , diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 medium eggplants, cut into 3/4-inch dice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, plus a pinch for the salad
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ cup water
For the tomato salad topping
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ medium red onion , thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove, grated or finely minced
- 1 small handful fresh basil, chopped, plus leaves to serve
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
To finish
- balsamic glaze (crema), optional
- red chili pepper flakes
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
Instructions
Get ready
- Take the dough out of the fridge 30 to 60 minutes before shaping. Position the oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 500°F / 260°C for at least 30 minutes, ideally 1 hour. If using a pizza stone, preheat it with the oven.
- Tear the mozzarella into bite-size pieces and drain on paper towels while you prepare the toppings. Take the burrata out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving.
Make the tomato salad
- In a bowl, mix the cherry tomatoes, the sliced red onion, 1 grated garlic clove, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the chopped basil, a pinch of oregano, a pinch of chili flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature.
Make the eggplant topping
- Heat half of the ¼ cup olive oil (2 tablespoons) in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and 1 grated garlic clove with a pinch of salt and sauté for 2 minutes, until fragrant and translucent.
- Add the eggplant and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and nicely browned.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the water, sugar, 1 teaspoon of oregano, a pinch of chili flakes, and a generous pinch of salt. Simmer for 5 minutes, until thick. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Assemble and bake
- Position the oven rack in the upper 1/3 portion of your oven. Preheat the oven to 500° F / 260° C. for at least 30 minutes before baking, preferably 1-2 hours ahead. If you have a baking stone, start preheating it.
Assemble the pizza
- On a lightly floured surface, stretch each dough ball into a thin 12-inch circle. Transfer to a sheet of parchment paper set on a pizza peel.
- Scatter one torn mozzarella ball over each pizza and spread half of the eggplant on top. Drizzle each pizza with the remaining olive oil.
- Slide the pizza, on its parchment, onto the hot pizza stone. As soon as the crust starts to rise and set, quickly pull the parchment out from under the pizza. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes in total, until the crust is golden and blistered and the mozzarella is bubbling.
- Do not bake the burrata. Tear one small burrata over each hot pizza, or serve one large burrata whole in a bowl on the side for tearing over each slice. Top with the tomato salad and fresh basil, sprinkle with chili flakes, and drizzle with balsamic glaze if using. Serve immediately, with a knife and fork.
Notes
- Dough: About 1 lb (450 g) of store-bought dough makes two thin 12-inch pizzas. For homemade, I love the dough from Roberta’s in Brooklyn. Naan or Greek pita also work for a quick version.
- The parchment trick (from my best friend Karini): building the pizza on parchment means it can’t stick to the peel. Pull the parchment out as soon as the crust sets, so the crust crisps directly on the stone and the paper doesn’t scorch at 500°F.
- Mozzarella: Draining the torn mozzarella keeps the pizza from turning watery in the center.
- Burrata: It goes on after baking, fresh, so it stays cool and creamy. Stracciatella works too: spoon about 200 g (7 oz) over the pizzas right after baking.
- Make ahead: The eggplant and tomato toppings can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Bring the tomato salad to room temperature before serving; never put it on the pizza straight from the fridge.
- This is a knife-and-fork pizza, eaten the Italian way.
Nutrition
