The Food Network as much as the next person, but I made this last night and it was really really good. The other recipes from the same episode look promising too, and Michael got through the whole show without once saying "caramelization." This is more like calzone than foccacia, and I bet it could easily be made as individual calzones.
Stuffed Foccacia with Roasted Eggplant and Oregano
2 eggplants
Gray salt
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound prepared pizza dough (purchased)
3/4 cup tomato sauce
1 small bunch fresh oregano leaves
1/2 pound mozzarella, sliced
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Cornmeal, for dusting
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
Slice eggplant into 1/2-inch slices. Salt the eggplant and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes; rinse the slices and pat dry. Brush them with olive oil, sprinkle with thyme, and season with pepper. Place the slices on a baking sheet and roast, not turning, until brown and tender, about 30 minutes. Let cool.
Position your oven racks to the upper most and lowest positions. Place 2 large baking sheets on the racks and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Sprinkle two baker's peels or boards with corn meal.
Separate the dough into 4 rounds. Roll them out into 8 to 10-inch circles. Lay 2 of them on the prepared boards Brush them with olive oil and lay half the eggplant in the middle of each. Top each with half the tomato sauce, some fresh oregano, half the mozzarella, and 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Top each with a round of dough and crimp the edges to make a seal (like a pie). Pierce the top crust to allow steam to vent, brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with remaining parmesan.
Carefully remove the sheets and dust them with cornmeal. Slide the rounds onto the baking sheets. Bake until the crusts are light brown on the bottom, about 20 minutes. When slightly cool, slice like a pie into 8 wedges.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_31130,00.html
Stuffed Foccacia with Roasted Eggplant and Oregano
2 eggplants
Gray salt
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound prepared pizza dough (purchased)
3/4 cup tomato sauce
1 small bunch fresh oregano leaves
1/2 pound mozzarella, sliced
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Cornmeal, for dusting
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
Slice eggplant into 1/2-inch slices. Salt the eggplant and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes; rinse the slices and pat dry. Brush them with olive oil, sprinkle with thyme, and season with pepper. Place the slices on a baking sheet and roast, not turning, until brown and tender, about 30 minutes. Let cool.
Position your oven racks to the upper most and lowest positions. Place 2 large baking sheets on the racks and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Sprinkle two baker's peels or boards with corn meal.
Separate the dough into 4 rounds. Roll them out into 8 to 10-inch circles. Lay 2 of them on the prepared boards Brush them with olive oil and lay half the eggplant in the middle of each. Top each with half the tomato sauce, some fresh oregano, half the mozzarella, and 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Top each with a round of dough and crimp the edges to make a seal (like a pie). Pierce the top crust to allow steam to vent, brush with olive oil, and sprinkle with remaining parmesan.
Carefully remove the sheets and dust them with cornmeal. Slide the rounds onto the baking sheets. Bake until the crusts are light brown on the bottom, about 20 minutes. When slightly cool, slice like a pie into 8 wedges.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_31130,00.html