Layered Eggplant

Eggplant layered with smoked scamorza makes a great Italian appetizer or side dish.

  • Time

    30 minutes

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Course

    Appetizers

Ingredients

Servings 4

Preparation

10 minutes preparation + 20 minutes cooking

Cut the eggplants into ¼ inch rounds. Place them in a strainer and salt lightly. Let rest to release excess moisture.

After half an hour, dry the eggplant with paper towels. Then, fry the eggplant in a pan with boiling olive oil. Make sure that the slices are completely submerged. Once golden, remove the slices of eggplant using a slotted spoon and place them to cool on a paper towels.

Once cool, place them in single portion ring molds. Start with a layer of eggplant, then a layer of thinly sliced scamorza.

Drizzle with a little tomato sauce and a handful of grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Repeat until you have filled the molds.

Bake the layered eggplant in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes. Serve on individual plates with a little tomato sauce and a couple of small basil leaves.

Chef's tips

If you don’t have individual ring molds, you can cook the layered eggplant in a normal baking dish making at least three layers.

Food History

The history of cheese closely follows that of man, dating back thousands of years. According to an Arab legend, cheese was created by accident by a merchant who crossed the desert, carrying milk inside a sack made from a sheep’s stomach. When the man went to drink the milk, he discovered that it had become a solid, but flavorful food. Once he arrived at his destination, he decided to sell it. Even it this is only a legend, the first cheese was probably created in a similar way. In ancient times, sheepherders discovered that it was possible to transform milk into cheese in order to store the milk for longer periods of time.

Did you known that...

In Ancient Rome, cheese was an important part of the diet of soldiers? According to the writings of Virgil, the daily food ration for each soldier included about 30 grams of sheep’s milk cheese, which was know to give them strength.

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