Baked eggplants are an essential summer side dish: light and flavorful, super versatile to serve as a side and use in the preparation of many dishes.
The eggplant is a vegetable rich in water and fiber.
In season from June to September.
Choose eggplants with a green and firm stem, smooth and tight skin without bruises, with uniform color regardless of variety by shape – long, oval, round – and color – purple, black, white, red, striped.
Baking is an alternative to grilling and enhances the flavor without weighing it down.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2 People
- Cooking methods: Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- eggplants
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch mixed peppercorns
- as needed chopped parsley
Suggested Tools
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Paper towel
- Baking tray 9.85×11.42 in
- Parchment paper
Preparation
Wash the eggplants thoroughly with the skin on.
Remove the stem.
To slice it stably, place the eggplant on the cut side and slice vertically to the desired thickness.Score each slice with a knife making diagonal cross-hatched cuts.
Season each slice with a pinch of salt, then gently rub them together so the salt is evenly distributed.
Place the slices on paper towels and cover with more towels.
Let them rest for about an hour to remove excess water and make the eggplants more digestible.Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Arrange the patted dry eggplant slices.
Brush with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and grind some pepper.Preheat the oven.
Bake in a fan-forced oven at 392°F for about 20 minutes, then turn the slices and bake another 10 minutes until golden.Grind more pepper, add chopped parsley, and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.
Plate.
Your light and flavorful baked eggplants are ready.
Bon appétit!
A great versatile side dish also for the preparation of:
– seasoned eggplants;
– au gratin eggplants;
– eggplants alla norma;
– eggplant parmigiana or eggplants alla pizzaiola;
– eggplant rolls.Transfer the baked eggplants to a baking dish adding pepper and mint to each layer.
Prepare an emulsion of vinegar and oil and distribute it over the slices with a spoon.
If you prefer, you can replace the mint with basil or parsley.
Storage, Tips and Variations
You can store the baked eggplants in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
FAQ
From the Accu-check diet meter
grilled eggplants
300 g raw eggplants = 150 g cooked eggplants – CHO 7.8 g.Can baked eggplants be frozen?
If you used fresh eggplants, yes.
Let the cooked slices cool completely, separate them with parchment paper, and place them in a freezer bag.
