Fergie's Bites: Rustic Summer Vegetable Ragu Pizza

My CSA Box had some beautiful eggplant, tomatoes, onions, and zucchini. My kids are good veggie eaters but not those vegetables... I made this pizza and they ate it up!!! Very simple dough recipe. Oh... and for my Clean Eats friends... just omit the cheese and you are good to go!!! I hope you enjoy it as much as my family did!

For Vegetable Ragu :

1-2 small Eggplants, Chopped

3 Tomatoes, Chopped

1-2 Zucchini, Chopped

1 Onion, Chopped

1/4 Cup Basil, Finely Chopped or (1 Tablespoon Dry Basil)

1 Tablespoon Dry Oregano

1 Teaspoon Sea Salt

4 Tablespoons Coconut Oil (or whatever oil you use for cooking)

1 14-oz Crushed Tomatoes

1 Tablespoon Agave Nectar

For Dough :

1 3/4 Cups Warm Water

5 Teaspoons Yeast

1 Tablespoon Raw Sugar

2 1/2 Cups White Whole Wheat Flour

2 1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

3/4 Cup Coconut Oil

2 Teaspoons Sea Salt

4-5 Cups of your favorite cheese...

Chop all the veggies... Heat the coconut oil...

I have just started using coconut oil... I really enjoy it although I have learned (the hard way) that Virgin Coconut Oil taste and smells like coconut... eventually the smell and taste goes away... especially after seasoning. So... if you don't care for the taste or smell of coconut DON'T BUY VIRGIN OIL!

Start cook the veggies and add the salt and herbs....

In the meantime... To make to starter... stir the water, sugar and yeast in a glass or ceramic bowl... cover and set aside until in rises and foams (about 5 minutes). In your electric mixer combine all the dough ingredients including the starter and mix on low for about 10-12 minutes.

Continue to cook on med/low and add the agave nectar. This will help caramelize the vegetables...

After you have kneaded the dough in the mixer for 10-12 minutes... place the dough in an oiled glass or ceramic bowl... Cover with a large kitchen cloth and let rise for 15-12 minutes in a warm dark place...

Continue to break down the veggies...

Add the canned tomatoes...

While simmering.... break up the veggies with the back of the spoon...

This is what it looks like after 15 minutes...

Continue to cook down the veggies... you can use a masher to finish breaking down the vegetables.....

Spray the sheet pan with Organic Pam...

Using your fingers... stretch the dough out to cover the whole sheet pan...

Punch holes into the dough with your fingers...

This is what the Ragu should look like...

This is a little trick I use for the last rising... I place the sheet pan on the same bowl I used to rise the dough... I add about 2 cups of boiling water and leave a crack open...