Don't judge this one until you try it. Sautéed slices of Japanese eggplant & okra along with turkey sausage crumbles is an incredible mini naan pizza!
I know. I know. Okra turns up many noses within my circle of family and friends. But it's HOW you cook it that makes the difference. Yeah, okra can get slimy. Sliced then quickly tossed into a hot pan with olive/avocado oil and seared is amazing. I personally like it sautéed with garlic and chopped pecans. But that's another recipe to share another time.
Yesterday, I got home after a string of meetings and wanted to cook something quickly. Tip: always have some naan bread in your fridge or freezer! Either the large or mini. It doesn't matter. They're always good. (I'm going to share my naan recipe soon! Until then, store bought is perfect.)
With our garden bounty, I had lots of Japanese eggplant and several new okra pods. Hmm. What to do?? I fired up the oven to 450°, sliced the eggplant & okra and sautéed quickly with some seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic granules, a little cayenne pepper) in a couple of tablespoons of olive/avocado oil. You can use whatever oil you want — just make sure the oil is hot enough (Med-Hi) so that the veggies don't soak in the oil; they will be soggy and not toast up nicely. You may have to add some oil as they cook so they don't get too dry and burn. After slightly browned and soft, tossing frequently (they only take about 4 or 5 minutes), spread them out evenly on the mini naan bread along with crumbled turkey sausage (always a staple) and some shredded cheese. I baked them for about 9 minutes. Fast food at it's finest. Start to finish? Maybe 20 minutes. Depends on how long it takes you to slice the veggies. Stages of the meal are in the photos below.
If you try this recipe or have other great ones to share, please let me know! I'd love to try and share your ideas. Meals need to be fun and flavorful. Always. Thanks for visiting.
Okra is the BEST THING EVER on pizza! Sadly, I ate most of it out of the pan before it made it onto the pizza, but the few pieces left were amazing! I want okra on all my pizzas forever. The eggplant was also very good. I didn't have naan so I used some dough to make a more traditional crust. Par baked the crust and added tomato/caper paste, pepperoni (I also didn't have sausage), peperoncini, cheese and sauteed eggplant and okra.
This sounds amazing! I'm going to have to plant okra in our garden next year. We didn't this year and I really missed it. I never would have thought of this combo.
No sauce of any kind? I don't care for either eggplant or okra, but if you say it's good this way, I may try it. I always have naan in my freezer. Is Japanese eggplant different than regular eggplant?