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French women don’t get fat.  That’s, like…a law of nature, right?

So when Patricia Wells, who is basically the queen of Provencal cooking, was next up on Gourmet’s 50 Women Game-Changers in Food (which I am cooking through with a bunch of fabulous bloggers).  I had expectations.

(By which I mean, I wanted her to tell me that eating bread and cheese all day every day for the rest of my life was absolutely the way to go.

Sometimes.  I only hear what I want to hear.)

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Instead, much to my disappointment and chagrin, I discovered that the real secret is that French women arrange slices of eggplant, tomatoes, tapenade, and goat cheese into neat little stacks.

Like so.

And call it dinner.

(I may or may not have cried myself to sleep at this point.  Just saying.)

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No one wants stacked food on a Friday, though.

Or on a Wednesday.  After running hill repeats for an hour.

Or on a Thursday.  After standing for 9 hours in lab.

(Maybe on Saturday when you’re thinking about being on a hot date with the guy you’ve been messaging back on forth with on “insert dating website of choice” but who has yet to make.a.move and ask you on said hot date.  Weirdo.)

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Thankfully, I remembered reading on some fabulous wonderful insightful wise-beyond-their-years blog last week that any salad can be turned into a damn good pizza (I can’t remember who the blogger was, so if it’s you then let me know!).  And that, my friends, is my new mantra.

That is also why I can’t be accepted into the French-women-never-get-fat society.

(Except maybe on Saturdays.)

You know. I think I’ll survive.

This pizza was the perfect mix of roasted veggie heaven, briny olive-y tapenade, and salty delicious goat cheese.  All made fresh by the basil strewn on top.  Feel free to swap out eggplant for zucchini (cough Alisa and Chris cough) if it suits you or throw feta on top if you aren’t a goat cheese fan!
And check out the Patricia Wells recipes some of my BFF’s made!

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Roasted Eggplant, Tomato and Tapenade Pizza with Goat Cheese
Serves 4, inspired by Patricia Wells’s Salad As A Meal

Ingredients

  • 1 batch of my favorite pizza dough
  • 1 eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds and roasted for 15 minutes at 450
  • 2 tomatoes, preferably heirlooms, sliced
  • about 20 basil leaves
  • 4 oz tapenade
  • 4 oz goat cheese (I used Mediterranean herb-infused goat cheese)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 500, or as high as your oven goes.  Grease your pizza pan with a little bit of olive oil.  Roll out your pizza dough until it is large enough to cover the pan and then place it on top of the pan.  Let it rest for a minute.
  2. Layer the roasted eggplant over the top of the pizza, letting slices overlap if necessary.  Layer the tomatoes on top of these.  Distribute the basil evenly around the pizza.
  3. Grab some tapenade (literally…just scoop some out with your hands) and sprinkle it over the pizza, making sure it’s distributed evenly.  Take your goat cheese log and do the same, crumbling it as you go.
  4. Put pizza in the oven and bake for 10 minutes or until the bottom of the pizza starts to become light brown.  Remove pizza from the oven and let rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting.

I am submitting this to Meeta’s Monthly Mingle, which is being hosted this month by Kulsum of Journey Kitchen!  It has also been yeastspotted.

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You are reading this post on Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author and or owner of Eats Well With Others. All rights reserved by Joanne Bruno.
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97 Responses to Provence on a Plate – Roasted Eggplant, Tomato and Tapenade Pizza with Goat Cheese

  1. Donna-FFW says:

    It looks gorgeous Joanne.. you are always a joy to read .. the words flow so easily, and the sense of subtle humor is refreshing:)

  2. Sofia says:

    i could never be french since i eat not only rich foods, but massive amounts of it. sigh. next life…

    i love your inventive pizza-ish recipes. they are so creative, makes me wonder how in the heck you come up with this stuff…

  3. Big Dude says:

    Your pizza looks awesome Joanne and remins me I picked a couple of eggplant I need to cook.

  4. After reading this I’m jumping right over to your favorite pizza dough, I can’t stop looking at it, and I’m so done with that Trader Joe’s pizza dough. Your photos are very persuasive!

  5. I can certainly eat this every day of the week!
    Have a nice weekend!

  6. Just love it! Pizza is always so much fun to play around with and the flavors in this one with the cheese and the eggplant are amazing! Sure wish you would have sent it my way!

  7. This looks fabulous! Love eggplant on my pizza. Always enjoy the storytelling quality of your posts! 🙂

  8. I just read your entire post and I’m pretty sure you said that French women don’t get fat because they live on bread, cheese and wine. Oh, and I love this pizza!

  9. Nice colors and flavours in the pizza. Why don’t pizzerias offer such pizzas?

  10. Anonymous says:

    Run a CBC, doc, that pizza looks seriously anemic.

  11. Great idea, I think the french are too thin anyways 🙂

  12. Simply Life says:

    I would pay to eat your leftovers…and I usually don’t even like to pay for any food that I don’t make myself.

  13. First of all … lovin’ the look of that airy white pizza dough! Stackin’ the veg and cheese on top is always a good idea! Patricia Wells has been a good discovery all the way around! As for the ‘hot date’? … weirdo!

  14. Elizabeth says:

    Indeed, any salad can be turned into a pizza. My fave: butternut squash, goat cheese, caramelized onions and sage.

  15. brandi says:

    ugh, I want this for dinner! i need to go get goat cheese.

  16. I like the idea of this with zucchini, it needs some green! Very pretty though!

  17. french women depress me…bring on the pizza!!
    great flavors!!

    happy weekend!!

  18. Danielle says:

    Looks amazing – I am getting ready to write a post about our eggplant ricotta pizza that we had this week.

  19. Dawn says:

    Great minds think alike. You just can’t go wrong with veggie pizza.

  20. Pierce says:

    I like Patrica Wells quite a bit. All of her recipes are so appealing. You all are doing a great job of honoring the 50 top cooks!!

  21. girlichef says:

    I’m up for turning salads into pizza toppings, that is a genius move. This one sounds awesome, and I loves me some goat cheese, so perfect!

  22. Eden says:

    French women don’t get fat cause they eat carbs! This also makes them sexier. I’m not sure how but i read it somewhere which means its true!

  23. Lexi says:

    Joanne, this looks incredible. I always forget how simple homemade pizza is. I think a version of this is in my near future, i.e. when I am overwhelmed with tomatoes again next week.

  24. MM says:

    Don’t French women also drink massive amounts of wine? Maybe that’s the key?!

    I think this sounds better as a pizza than a salad. Good call!

  25. I’m pretty sure anything that has goat cheese on it is going to be amazing. Especially when it’s on pizza

  26. Rachel says:

    I think you improved on the salad by making it into a pizza. Roasted veggie heaven is my favorite place in the world!

  27. Skinny or not, this looks like ambrosia!! And all can be had tomorrow at the farmer’s market. The cheese is already waiting for a “date”.

    Best,
    Bonnie

  28. Tapenade and goat cheese…a match made in heaven. I love that a good salad can be made into a pizza. So true!

  29. That Girl says:

    Hmmm I don’t know if I buy the “French women don’t get fat theory.” I think I’m gaining weight just looking at this picture.

  30. This colorful pizza looks so gorgeous!One of my fav things is to pair tomatoes with goat cheese and you have beautifully married them into a pizza- YUM~

  31. That’s some great advice about the salad and pizza. I can think of some salads I love that would go great on pizza. I also think I might have just found a use for the two eggplants that jumped in my arms at the farmer’s market yesterday.

  32. Claudie says:

    Your pizza looks amazing!!! I love the idea, and next time I’m making pizza, this will be it!

  33. Amy says:

    “…any salad can be turned into a damn good pizza” – I believe that! Also? I believe that dessert food is acceptable any time during the day. Even breakfast. Which is why I will also not be accepted into the French-women-never-get-fat society.

  34. Hey! Thanks for mingling with us with such a good pizza recipe! Love it.

    P.S. – Could you please send me the link and photo and other details as the rules so I can add your post to my database. Thanks

  35. Catherine says:

    Dear Joanne, You are a girl after my own heart! I would just love this pizza!!! Blessings for a beautiful weekend. Catherine xo

  36. Lyndsey says:

    This is such a beautiful pizza! Yummm! I would not mind eating bread and cheese every day!

  37. Shannon says:

    yeah i’d go for this pizza… maybe without the tapenade. i’m only just turning the olive corner. but goat cheese, who doesn’t love that? just made a goat cheese ice cream, need to post that soon! love that quote, too.

  38. Swathi says:

    This pizza is killing me, yumm. Best thing about homemade pizza are we can add tons of flavors to it

  39. Jeanette says:

    Love how you turned this into a pizza from Provence, perfect for a Friday night. Your pizza dough looks so nice and light!

  40. Nicole says:

    Love it! I love me eggplant! Can’t tell form the photo but does enough of the tepenade slip thru so you fell as if you have a “base” to your pizza? I think i could definitely take this pizza on all kinds of adventures… pesto comes to mind… Thanks for another thought provoking item!

  41. Karen says:

    Great combination of flavors – love this!

  42. Kathy says:

    This just looks fabulous…what a great idea for a pizza! Nice job!

  43. Katie says:

    What a creative idea! I never would have thought of turning a salad into a pizza. I love it!

  44. This looks delicious and I grinned while reading your post as well. I’ll join you in the I could never be French club.

  45. Sam says:

    That looks so good. From the pre-pick up email, it seems that I will be getting all of the veggies necessary for this from my CSA. This might be dinner one night!

    Also, take it from an internet dating veteran (who is happily in a relationship with someone she met through internet dating): sometimes you just have to make the first move and say “do you want to grab a drink or something”.

  46. tigerfish says:

    French women don’t get fat? I want to eat, not exercise and not get fat. That must be forbidden!

  47. Mary says:

    What a gorgeous pie, Joanne. You captured Provence in your pizza. This really looks delicious. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary

  48. No brand of pizzas can beat yours Joanne. That looks “CRAZZILY” beautiful and mouth watering delicious! I can actualy frame that photo of your pizza and hang it on my wall and say it is food art! I don’t mind getting fat eating this.

  49. My mouth is watering. You always make me laugh Joanne…and we ALL need to laugh at any given moment so thank you mostly for that even thought the recipe and pizza are incredible looking. So amazing.

  50. daphne says:

    Who says vegetarian pizzas can be boring? this is SO not true. Oh loving the egg plant and flavours on a plate for sure.

  51. I lugged back 2 sacks of King Arthur premium pizza flour from the US last March… and have not done anything with them yet! This is a delicious reminder!

  52. This is most definitely an ideal pizza. I’d eat this every day of the week 🙂

    Sues

  53. Elizabeth says:

    I can’t get over how beautiful those tomatoes are – yum!

  54. And here I thought it was the cigarettes that kept them thin. 😉
    Love the pizza – the tapenade is inspired!

  55. teresa says:

    haha to natashya’s comment! this looks wonderful, those french babes got it figured out. i love the colors.

    running hills for an hour? go girl!

  56. Oh this pizza looks amazing. Those French women are just freaks…eat all the cheese and bread you want. Especially in the form of pizzas.

  57. Claudia says:

    Our minds are on a groove, this is about identical to the pizza I made for lunch yesterday! Different cheese is all. A perfect summer deckside meal.

  58. Megan says:

    I’m happy to tell you eating bread and cheese every day is the way to go! Eating this pizza every day doesn’t sound like a bad idea either!

  59. newlywed says:

    I studied abroad in Provence and loved those stacks! But I would love this pizza even more. And you know, in Provence, on the street you can buy these little pizettes that are made on pastry dough. If you really want to go there…:)

  60. Kim says:

    I don’t think I’d make it in the French women’s club either. I’ve got to have my carbs.

    I love that you took this salad recipe and put it on top of a pizza. It looks bright and fresh and completely satisfying.

  61. I am drooling! This beautiful pizza is wonderful. Healthy too.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  62. This pizza looks awesome!! Every time I red your posts I leave hungry!! Really this looks so delicious that I want to get the ingredients and make it tomorrow!!

  63. Reeni says:

    This is like a breath of fresh air! I am so tired of traditional pizza. The topping rocks!

  64. kyleen says:

    The combination of Mediterranean herb-infused goat cheese and tomatoes and eggplant sounds really tasty, although I’m not much of an eggplant fan myself. Beautiful pictures as always.

  65. That is one beautiful pizza, my dear! And, it’s true, it’s ok to eat bread and cheese every day for the rest of your life.

  66. I bet French women would get fat too if they eat cheese and bread all day every day.
    Love the topping..earthy and different from the pizza toppings I have ever known.

  67. Miriam says:

    Ooo, that pizza is making my mouth water!! Miriam@Meatless Meals For Meat Eaters

  68. I totally know what you mean about French women -here I was hoping there was some magical ingredient in bread and cheese.. Your pizza looks fantastic (I am the biggest fan of eggplant!)

  69. Wherever and whenever there is pizza on the menu, I’ll be around for sure! This provençales flavours pizza sounds sooooo good!!

  70. I m reading about the French and food right now too (and i swear u dont want to know its the book by Dr.Dukan :-))) ), and i know exactly what u say!

    Today im on a diet though , i had chocolate and coffee for breakfast and only Buttery CInnmn Vanilla Monkey bread the whole day , and am gng to work my bum out in a bit (yeah i work out 7 days a week muc to the chargin of my muscles that demand to have a day off to rest and build)…ok ok enuf saig , ur pizza’s are the best around and makes me wanna bake a batch right away….
    If only i wasnt ”dieting ” today …sigh :-))))

  71. peachie says:

    Eggplants on a pizza is something that I haven’t yet tried but it’s looks fab!!!

  72. an amazing combination of delicious ingredients in this pizza! Love the goat cheese topping!

  73. I LOVE olive tapenade. And goat cheese. And basil. And tomatoes. I’m still on the fence about eggplant, but I think I must make a form a an educated opinion. Like a food scientist would.

  74. Gloria says:

    Look absolutely beauty Joanne!! gloria

  75. Beautiful photos Joanne. I’d love a slice of all that freshness right now.

  76. Kelly says:

    The combination of basil, tapenade and goat cheese is positively heavenly. What a gorgeous pizza.

  77. Gopika Ram says:

    Joanne, these look amazing.. I just love the way you present it 😀 Loveeee

  78. La Liz says:

    I like, I want . . . right now! Summer= tapenade cravings. Great pizza.

  79. Great summer pizza…..leaving for Provence in a few weeks! Can’t wait!

  80. I love salads in the form of pizzas 😀

  81. Been a fan of Mrs. Wells for decades. Heard she is a marathon runner now??? I guess the luncheons in the Parisians bistrots are out. This pizza is fabulous, just what I would want on a pizza.

  82. Johanna GGG says:

    Yum! I love the mantra about turning any salad into pizza – I must look to salads for pizza inspiration – had pizza on friday for the first time in ages and loved it – much nicer than stacks (my most hated veg option in cafe)

  83. Kerstin says:

    Mmm, pizza, looks so flavorful and fabulous!

  84. kankana says:

    This pizza looks amazing and I don’t think I can ever be like French women :)Hopping to check the links u shared.

  85. Fabulous. I am sure it was great as a salad but boy is it amazing as a pizza! 😉

  86. Foodycat says:

    I hear from a couple of people who live in France that it isn’t true – French women get as rolypoly as the rest of us!

    Anyway, it’s a fabulous-looking pizza.

  87. Lora says:

    gorgeous pizza with layers of lovely flavor.

  88. Yasmeen says:

    Ooh, I love pizza recipes. This incorporates everything I love! My man’s parents built a woodfire oven on their farm… I’d love to take this recipe out for a spin.

  89. Eliana says:

    This is pizza done right girlfriend! Love it!!!!

  90. grace says:

    delightful pizza, joanne! i, for one, would rather be not skinny and american than skinny and french. 🙂

  91. Oh yes, a great combo of ingredients is great no matter how you stick them together – neatly stacked, over pasta, with grains or overtop leafy greens! This looks great, Joanne!

  92. elly says:

    This looks like it could be my new favorite pizza. Soooo good. Love the tapenade…which I can eat on pretty much anything. Or just with a spoon.

  93. katiez says:

    Just so you know – if you ordered a regular, old pizza in France – you could eat the whole thing yourself and not be stuffed or need to feel guilty…. It’s more about portion control and balance…. rather than stacks LOL

  94. This looks way to delicious to be able to make at home… I’m gonna give it a try though!

  95. Chris says:

    Ha ha ha ha, I already had my comment in mind and you called my ass out! You rock:)

  96. I love the idea that any salad can be turned into a pizza! And this is a great example of it.

  97. […] Two years ago…Chocolate Cake with Raspberry-Nutella Filling and Chocolate Ganache, Roasted Eggplant, Tomato and Tapenade Pizza with Goat Cheese […]

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