I’m a big fan of savory pies and I often enjoy experimenting with whatever I find in the fridge. This time I propose a savory pie with eggplant and cherry tomatoes: an explosion of flavor that wins you over at the first bite. Perfect to serve hot or cold, you can prepare it a few hours in advance without losing any of its goodness.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 1 Hour 42 Minutes
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer
Ingredients
- 1 roll puff pastry
- 1 eggplant (medium-large)
- 3 slices Galbanino cheese (optional)
- 1 cluster cherry tomatoes
- oregano
- salt
- extra virgin olive oil
Preparation
Start with the eggplant: wash it, decide whether to keep the skin and remove the stem. Cut it into slices just under 3/8 inch thick and sprinkle them with salt, letting them sit for about 15 minutes to remove excess water and any bitter aftertaste.
Rinse the slices, pat them dry with kitchen paper and sear them for a few minutes in a skillet with a drizzle of hot oil. They don’t need to be completely cooked; they’ll finish cooking in the oven.
Take the puff pastry roll out of the refrigerator about 10 minutes before use. Unroll it gently and place it in a baking pan, leaving the parchment paper it comes with. Prick the base with a fork.
Arrange the eggplant slices on the base. Wash the cherry tomatoes, remove the stems and cut them in half (or into quarters, if you prefer). Spread them over and around the eggplant.
Add the cheese cut into cubes, sprinkle with oregano and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
Bake in a preheated oven at 392°F for 20-30 minutes, until the pastry is nicely golden. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.
Tips and storage
You can replace Galbanino with any other cheese you like, or omit it for a lighter version.
As an alternative to puff pastry, you can use shortcrust pastry.
The savory pie with eggplant is great both hot and cold, and is perfect to prepare in advance.
