The spicy eggplants are a light and appetizing side dish, served cold and can be paired with grilled, roasted, or various roasted meats. The recipe for spicy eggplants is really simple and quite fast: they are thinly sliced eggplants baked with a little oil (but if you wish, you can also prepare this dish with grilled eggplants); once cool, the spicy eggplants are seasoned with herbs, vinegar, and, of course, chili pepper.
To prepare the spicy eggplants, I used chili powder, which spreads well on all slices; however, if you have it available, you can also use fresh chili finely chopped, which also gives the spicy eggplants a more intense aroma. Before serving the spicy eggplants, let them rest for at least an hour at room temperature with their seasoning to allow them to absorb the flavors.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Economical
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer and Autumn
- Energy 149.41 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 12.15 (g) of which sugars 7.17 (g)
- Proteins 2.17 (g)
- Fat 11.60 (g) of which saturated 1.67 (g)of which unsaturated 0.25 (g)
- Fibers 6.24 (g)
- Sodium 115.60 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 112 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Spicy Eggplants
- 1.76 lbs eggplants
- 1 bunch parsley
- A few leaves mint
- A few leaves basil
- to taste chili powder
- 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsps apple cider vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- 1 pinch salt
Tools
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
Steps
To prepare the spicy eggplants, start by washing the eggplants and removing the stem. Then cut them into fairly thin slices (about 1/8 to 1/5 inch) (1).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the eggplant slices next to each other, salt them, and brush them with a little oil (2). Bake in a preheated oven at 356°F (fan) for 10-15 minutes, until they are golden (3).
Remove them from the oven and let them cool. If you prefer, you can grill them on a lightly oiled griddle, cooking them for two minutes on each side. Wash the herbs, dry them, and coarsely chop them with a knife (4).
In a bowl, arrange the eggplants next to each other, slightly overlapping (5). Season them with some chopped herbs, a splash of vinegar, chili powder, and a drizzle of oil.
Layer another layer of eggplants and season them in the same way. Continue until all the eggplants are used up (6). Let them rest at room temperature for at least an hour.
Serve the spicy eggplants as a side dish to grilled, roasted, or barbecued meats, or use them as a light and tasty appetizer.
Storage
The spicy eggplants prepared this way can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Tips and Variations
To prepare this eggplant side dish, you can use both classic black and oval eggplants or the more elongated ones, light purple with streaks. Long black eggplants, also known as “Neapolitan,” do not lend themselves to being roasted.
