Eggplant and Mozzarella Tower
17/11/2023The eggplant and mozzarella tower is a delicious and fairly simple dish to prepare. It’s a Mediterranean-inspired recipe that is very suitable as an appetizer or main course. Here’s how to make it.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants
- 250 g of buffalo mozzarella (or fiordilatte)
- Flour, as much as needed to dust the eggplants
- Extra virgin olive oil, for frying and dressing
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil leaves
- Tomato sauce (optional for a richer variant)
- Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
Preparation
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Start by washing the eggplants, dry them, and cut them into slices about 1 cm thick. You can choose to cut them lengthways or into rounds, depending on your preference.
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Arrange the slices on a plate or tray and sprinkle them with a little salt. Let them rest for about 30 minutes so that they release their vegetation water and some of their bitter flavor.
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In the meantime, cut the mozzarella into slices and let it drain to eliminate excess liquid.
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After the resting time, pat the eggplant slices dry with paper towels, then dust them with flour and shake them to remove the excess.
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Heat enough olive oil in a frying pan and fry the eggplants until they become golden and crispy. Drain them well and place them on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
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Now build the tower by alternating a slice of eggplant, a slice of mozzarella, a basil leaf, and so on until you reach the desired height. If you wish, you can also add a little tomato sauce between the layers.
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Finish the tower with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of pepper, and, if you like, a dusting of Parmesan.
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For an extra touch, you can put the towers under the grill in the oven for a few minutes until the mozzarella becomes stretchy.
Serve the towers warm or at room temperature, decorated with fresh basil leaves.
Curiosity
Even though the eggplant and mozzarella tower is a more modern and structured variant, it draws inspiration from the classic flavors of eggplant parmigiana, a traditional dish from the culinary heritage of Southern Italy. The technique of layering ingredients and the use of basil and mozzarella reflect the Italian love for fresh flavors and seasonality.