This recipe is from Grandma Lina and these eggplant boats are so delicious.
A very simple recipe featuring only a few basic ingredients, often not too special, that you can usually find in a grandma’s pantry.
The first time Grandma Lina let me taste them, they became my favorite dish, a perfect combination of flavors.
The eggplant season is approaching, and with this ingredient, you can make a thousand different dishes, each one better than the last, but the one I want to propose is really special: eggplant boats!
As the name suggests, it is a typical Neapolitan recipe, born from the creative flair of Neapolitans who associated the shape of a shoe with this tasty vegetable.
I propose Grandma Lina’s version, the most classic of the recipes, where the eggplants are cut in half, hollowed out, and filled with the same eggplant pulp, cut into cubes and sautéed in a pan, cherry tomatoes, olives, capers, and cheese or mozzarella and if you like, add some smoked cheese or provolone. In this case, I used a filling suitable for vegetarians, but you can try changing it every time.
As in every traditional recipe, there are countless variations of the classic recipe to accommodate different tastes and needs. The version I propose is the most classic I know, which I’m sure you’ll also like!
They cook for a few minutes in the oven, maybe at first you can cover them to prevent them from drying out too much, so they will remain very soft and everyone will surely love them.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer, Autumn
- Energy 370.66 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 17.95 (g) of which sugars 5.67 (g)
- Proteins 10.37 (g)
- Fat 29.87 (g) of which saturated 8.62 (g)of which unsaturated 14.14 (g)
- Fibers 5.16 (g)
- Sodium 767.04 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 190 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 Eggplant Boats
- 4 eggplants
- 3 cups g cherry tomatoes
- to taste capers
- 1/2 cup g Taggiasca olives
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- 5 oz g mozzarella (or provolone or smoked scamorza)
- leaves basil
- to taste peanut oil (for frying)
- salt
Tools
- 2 Pans
- Baking dish
- Parchment paper
Steps for Eggplant Boats
Wash the eggplants well, trim them, and cut them in half lengthwise.
Scoop out the center to create a boat.
Cut the obtained pulp into small cubes.
Now with Saint Patience… Fry the scooped eggplants in oil (a few at a time). Fry both the outer and inner sides.
Then place the fried scooped eggplants on a plate with a paper towel.
In a pan, cook the chopped tomatoes with a clove of garlic.
Occasionally mash the tomatoes with a fork and adjust salt to taste.
At the end of cooking, remove the garlic and add salt-rinsed capers.
Add the previously pitted olives.
Then add the eggplant pulp.
Cook and allow flavors to meld for a few minutes.
Cook for just a few minutes, just enough time to let all the ingredients flavor.
Now arrange the shells on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, lightly salt them, and fill them with the tomato, olive, and eggplant preparation.
Add a few cubes of smoked scamorza cheese.
(If you like, you can add a sprinkle of grated cheese; this last step is optional).
Transfer to a preheated static oven at 375°F for 15 minutes, then switch to the grill function at 430°F and continue cooking for a few more minutes.
The eggplant boats are ready to be served.
Enjoy your meal
Tips and Curiosities
The eggplants prepared this way are delicious both hot, right out of the oven, and cold. You can also store them in the fridge, in an airtight container, to reheat them the next day before serving.
Serve hot. Even warm they are fabulous, you can never have just one, they are addictive!
If you liked this recipe, click on many stars, thank you infinitely.
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