Caprese-style Eggplant Cutlets

Caprese-style eggplant cutlets are a delicious dish that combines the crunchy breading of the cutlets with the freshness of a Caprese salad. Here is the recipe for this tasty dish.

Ingredients

• 2 large eggplants
• 200 grams of breadcrumbs
• 100 grams of flour
• 2 eggs
• 250 grams of buffalo mozzarella
• 2 ripe tomatoes
• Fresh basil leaves
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Frying oil
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Start by washing the eggplants and cutting them into slices about half a centimeter thick. Salt them and let them rest for about 30 minutes so that they lose their vegetation water.
2. In the meantime, beat the eggs in a bowl and season them with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place the flour on a plate and the breadcrumbs on another.
3. Dry the eggplant slices with kitchen paper to remove excess water.
4. Coat each eggplant slice in flour, then dip it into the beaten egg, and finally into the breadcrumbs, making sure they are well covered.
5. Heat the frying oil in a pan and when it’s hot, fry the breaded eggplant slices until they are golden and crispy on both sides. Then, place them on paper towels to remove excess oil.
6. Cut the mozzarella and tomatoes into slices.
7. Place a slice of mozzarella and a slice of tomato, and then a basil leaf, on each eggplant cutlet.
8. Bake the breaded cutlets with mozzarella and tomato in a preheated oven at 200°C for about 5 minutes, or until the mozzarella has melted.
9. Serve immediately, topped with a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper, if you like.

Curiosity

This recipe is inspired by the Caprese, a typically summer dish that combines the taste of Campania buffalo mozzarella with tomatoes and eggplants, vegetables very present in Mediterranean cuisine. The final baking allows the flavors to blend and results in a dish that is warm but at the same time fresh and light.