Fan eggplants are one of those dishes that should be offered at the table at least once! In fact, with this original and spectacular recipe, you will amaze your guests, and with a few simple moves, you will ensure an excellent vegetarian-style appetizer to start a meal, or a one-dish meal or side dish for dinner! It is a really simple recipe. Just slice the eggplants keeping the stem, to facilitate this fan opening! Once done, you can then have fun and fill them as you like. I made them stuffed with tomato sauce and mozzarella, but there’s nothing stopping you from adding cooked ham or other types of cheese, which I recommend shredded. Try them because they are incredibly delicious! Let me know, please!

Difficulty: Easy
Cost: Medium
Rest time: 1 Hour
Preparation time: 15 Minutes
Portions: 4
Cooking methods: Oven
Cuisine: Italian
Seasonality: Summer

Ingredients

⚠ THIS RECIPE CONTAINS ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog helps support me and my work, while it won’t cost you anything extra!

4 medium black oval eggplants (medium)
9 oz mozzarella (for pizza)
12.3 oz tomato sauce (cherry tomatoes)
4 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano DOP
A few leaves basil
A few leaves mint
1 bunch chopped parsley
to taste garlic powder
to taste extra virgin olive oil
to taste salt
to taste black pepper

Tools

1 Knife
1 Baking tray
1 Parchment paper
1 Container
1 Paper towel

Preparation

Wash and dry the eggplants without removing the stem, and make cuts to reduce them to slices of up to 1.5 cm thick.
The stem will hold the slices together, favoring the fan-like opening.
Place the eggplants inside a tall, spacious container and sprinkle abundant salt on the slices so they release the liquids that make them bitter.
Let them rest like this for about 1 hour, then remove their water, rinse and dry them with kitchen paper towels.
Place the eggplants on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, and distribute generous tablespoons of tomato sauce between each slice.
Add the sliced mozzarella between the various slices.
Also season with a few leaves of basil and mint.
Salt slightly then sprinkle everything with the grated Parmigiano.
Sprinkle the surface also with abundant chopped parsley.
Add garlic powder if you like, but it’s absolutely optional.
Finally, drizzle the surface with plenty of oil.
If the eggplants are small, bake at 350°F for about 35′. If you have taken two large eggplants like me, continue cooking for another 10′ or until they appear tender.
Remove from the oven and let cool slightly, drizzling with another drizzle of oil before serving.
And voilà…the fan eggplants with tomato sauce and mozzarella are ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appétit from La Cucina di FeFè!