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Grilled Eggplant Boats

17/11/2023

Grilled eggplant boats are a simple, tasty, and very versatile dish. Here’s the recipe for making this delicious appetizer or main course.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium-sized eggplants
  • 200 g of cherry tomatoes
  • 100 g of mozzarella (or other cheese of your choice, such as feta or scamorza)
  • Fresh basil to taste
  • Extra virgin olive oil to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Garlic (optional)
  • Oregano (optional)

Preparation

  1. Wash and dry the eggplants, then cut them in half lengthwise.
  2. Score the flesh of the eggplants with a knife, being careful not to break the skin. Make both lengthwise and crosswise incisions to facilitate both cooking and seasoning.
  3. If you want, you can squeeze some garlic and rub it on the inside surface of the eggplants for extra flavor.
  4. Brush the scored surface of the eggplants with some extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  5. Heat a grill and when it’s hot, place the eggplants with the scored side down. Grill for about 5 minutes or until the surface is golden and the incisions open slightly.
  6. In the meantime, cut the cherry tomatoes in half or quarters and season them with oil, salt, pepper, and, if you like, some oregano.
  7. Turn the eggplants and grill the other side for 3-4 minutes.
  8. Take the now soft eggplants and lay them on a serving dish. Then, fill each ‘boat’ with the seasoned cherry tomatoes.
  9. Cut the mozzarella into cubes and distribute it over the cherry tomatoes.
  10. If you wish, you can finish cooking in the oven at 180 °C for about 5-10 minutes, until the cheese melts.
  11. Garnish with fresh basil leaves before serving.

Interesting Facts

Eggplants are a fundamental ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine and were introduced to Italy by the Saracens in the Middle Ages. They are very versatile and can be prepared in numerous ways, from eggplant parmesan to caponata, and even as a grilled side dish. To make your eggplant boats even tastier, you can marinate the cherry tomatoes with oil, salt, pepper, and oregano for a few hours before using them for the filling.

Grilled Eggplant Boats