Elegant Homemade Eggplant Melanzane
Elegant Homemade Eggplant Melanzane
A Different Way to Enjoy Eggplant! Making Delicious Eggplant Melanzane
Introducing Eggplant Melanzane, an elegant Italian dish featuring summer eggplant! The harmony of rich tomato sauce, tender eggplant, and gooey mozzarella cheese is simply exquisite. Even children who dislike eggplant will enjoy it with the delightful Italian-style sauce. This dish is perfect for entertaining guests or as a special brunch option. Try making this beautiful and delicious Eggplant Melanzane conveniently at home!
Main Ingredients- 1 medium eggplant
- 8-10 cherry tomatoes (or 1 ripe regular tomato)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 60g fresh mozzarella cheese
- 50g shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)
- 400g canned whole peeled tomatoes
- A small bunch of arugula (or basil)
Sauce & Seasoning- 1.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 1.5 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare all your ingredients before you begin. Wash the eggplant, cherry tomatoes, and arugula thoroughly under running water and pat them dry. Peel the garlic cloves. Open the can of whole peeled tomatoes. If using fresh tomatoes, you can substitute 1 medium ripe regular tomato, chopped coarsely, for the cherry tomatoes. Fresh basil leaves can be used instead of arugula. Shredded cheese is optional.
Step 2
Trim the ends off the eggplant. Using a vegetable peeler or a Y-peeler, thinly peel the eggplant skin. Then, slice the eggplant lengthwise into approximately 0.5cm thick strips. Depending on the size of your eggplant, you might want to cut it into 2-3 sections to create longer strips.
Step 3
Thinly slice the peeled garlic cloves. Slicing them thinly will release a richer garlic aroma and deepen the flavor of the sauce.
Step 4
Overlap two slices of eggplant. Place a piece of fresh mozzarella cheese, cut to fit the width of the eggplant, between the overlapped slices and roll them up tightly, like a small roulade. The overlapping eggplant should help secure the cheese inside.
Step 5
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and minced garlic, and sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
Step 6
Once the garlic is fragrant, add the washed cherry tomatoes to the pan and sauté them. Cook until the cherry tomatoes start to soften.
Step 7
When the cherry tomato skins begin to split, add the canned whole peeled tomatoes to the pan and simmer. Gently mash the whole tomatoes and softened cherry tomatoes with a spatula as they cook. This will release more of their juices and create a richer sauce. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes to thicken the sauce.
Step 8
Season the simmering tomato sauce with a pinch of salt and pepper. It’s best to start with a small amount and adjust to your taste.
Step 9
Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice for a bright, fresh flavor. The lemon juice will cut through any richness and balance the overall taste of the sauce.
Step 10
Arrange the rolled eggplant and mozzarella cheese pieces on top of the tomato sauce in the pan. Place them neatly so the sauce can seep between the layers.
Step 11
Cover the pan with a lid and simmer over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, or until the eggplant is tender and the mozzarella cheese inside is melted and gooey. Adjust the cooking time as needed based on how tender you want the eggplant.
Step 12
Once the eggplant is tender, sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the top.
Step 13
Finally, garnish with fresh arugula before serving for a beautiful presentation. Eggplant Melanzane is best enjoyed warm, with the cheese perfectly melted. Serve with bread or rice for a complete meal!
