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Eggplant fans: a gourmet snack. Video
Eggplants are an excellent base for a savory and light snack, as well as for an exquisite aromatic side dish for any type of meat or fish. To make them even more unusual, prepare a bright and elegant fan of them on a plate.
Eggplant appetizer: peacock fan or tail
Elegant eggplant appetizer with mozzarella cheese
This recipe is based on the classic Italian combination of eggplant with tomatoes, basil and soft aromatic mozzarella cheese. You can take as many eggplants as you need for the snack portions. For each “blue” you will need: – 1 small ball of fresh mozzarella cheese; – 1 large fleshy tomato; – 2 cloves of garlic; – 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil; – a bunch of basil leaves; – finely ground sea salt.
The prevailing opinion that eggplants need to be soaked before cooking is erroneous. Now, as a result of selection, there are no longer bitter varieties of eggplants.
Rinse and dry eggplants. Holding them by the stalk, cut into 1 centimeter thick slices without cutting to the end. The top of the eggplant, about 1 centimeter long, should remain uncut. Fan the vegetable. Peel and chop the garlic, fold the basil leaves together and roll into a tight tube, cut them with a sharp knife into thin ribbons. In a small bowl, combine chopped garlic, chopped basil, and olive oil.
Place the eggplants on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Using a silicone brush, brush each eggplant slice with olive sauce, cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil and place in a 200 ° C oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes. During this time, cut the tomatoes and mozzarella into slices. Remove the eggplants from the oven and let cool slightly.
Lift each eggplant slice and place a slice of tomato and cheese underneath. Grease the fan again with olive sauce and, without covering it with foil, put the baking sheet back in the oven. Bake for another 7-10 minutes, until the cheese begins to melt. Serve sprinkled with fresh basil.
If you want the eggplant to be crispier, salt the sliced slices and let sit for 15–20 minutes. Excess moisture will be released from the vegetables. Wipe it off with a slightly damp kitchen towel and bake without covering it with foil.
Eggplant garnish with tomato sauce
In this recipe, the amount of food is also given per serving. You will need: – 1 eggplant; – 1 scoop of mozzarella; – 1 large tomato; 1/2 cup bread crumbs – 1 teaspoon of oregano leaves; – 1 teaspoon of marjoram leaves; – 12 basil leaves; – 6 tablespoons of grated Parmesan; 1/2 cup tomato sauce
Fan the eggplants. Cut the mozzarella and tomatoes into slices and place a slice of both between the eggplant slices. Chop the oregano and marjoram, cut the basil leaves into ribbons, and mix the herb and parmesan bread crumbs.
Pour the tomato sauce into the bottom of the baking dish. Lay out the stuffed vegetable and sprinkle with the bread mixture. Bake for 30 minutes in an oven preheated to 190 ° C. Increase the heat to 220 ° C and cook the dish for another 5-7 minutes until golden brown.