The light eggplant medallions are a perfect recipe for those who want to eat healthily without sacrificing taste. Grilled and unbreaded, the eggplant becomes a light yet flavorful dish. Inside, a soft core of ham and mozzarella makes every bite even more delicious! Cooked in an air fryer, the medallions achieve a golden crispiness on the outside and an irresistible softness inside, retaining all the eggplant flavor without added fats. If you don’t have an air fryer, no worries: you can easily bake them in the oven, still achieving a healthy and tasty result. Perfect as an appetizer, side dish, or main course, these medallions are a true light treat, ideal for those who want to eat well without giving up the pleasure of a flavorful dish!
Before moving on to the recipe, let’s recall other eggplant recipes
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 3 Hours 25 Minutes
- Portions: 6 medallions
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 93.25 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 3.89 (g) of which sugars 2.06 (g)
- Proteins 6.02 (g)
- Fat 6.27 (g) of which saturated 2.94 (g)of which unsaturated 1.73 (g)
- Fibers 1.75 (g)
- Sodium 481.15 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 85 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
- 1 eggplant (medium/large)
- salt
- 3.5 oz mozzarella
- 2.1 oz cooked ham
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Tools
- 1 Non-stick grill pan
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Air fryer paper
Preparation
First, grill the eggplants. This step can also be done in advance: for example, I grill the eggplants in the evening and use them as a side dish. If there are leftovers, I can use them the next day to prepare the medallions, as I did for today’s lunch.
Start by washing the eggplant well and slicing it thinly, but not too thin! They should be thin enough to cook well, but not so thin they fall apart. If you have a sharp knife, the task will be even easier! 😊
When I have some time, I like to layer the eggplant slices in a colander, sprinkling a pinch of salt between each layer. Then, I cover them with a lid and place a weight on top, letting them sit for at least half an hour. This trick allows the eggplants to release excess water, so they cook much faster! But if you’re in a hurry, don’t worry: you can grill them right away! 😉
Take a nice non-stick grill pan and heat it well on the stove. Then, grill the eggplant slices on both sides. They should be well-cooked but not burnt! If it seems like they’re sticking, don’t worry: once ready, it’ll be easy to lift them with the tip of a fork from that side that seemed a bit more “stubborn.” 😊
Now that the eggplants are nicely grilled, let’s create our medallions! Slice the mozzarella into very thin slices and start placing the eggplant slices on the air fryer’s basket, which you will have already lined with the special paper. On each eggplant slice, place a slice of mozzarella and a piece of cooked ham. When you have finished stuffing them all, don’t forget to add some of the leftover mozzarella pieces on top of the ham.
Now cover each medallion with a second eggplant slice and cook everything at 375°F for about 15 minutes. However, I recommend taking a look halfway through cooking, as it might take less than 15 minutes, depending on your fryer’s power. If you don’t have an air fryer, don’t worry: you can bake them in a preheated oven at 400°F for the same time. Enjoy your meal! 😋
For those who want to make them even crispier, you can add a drizzle of oil on the medallions before cooking, but just a drizzle.
NOTES
The medallions are delicious when hot, so you can enjoy the melting mozzarella! However, if you’re preparing them for a savory buffet, don’t worry: they are great at room temperature too. If any are left over, you can store them in the refrigerator for a couple of days. When you want to eat them, just reheat them in the microwave or, even better, for a couple of minutes in the air fryer to restore that perfect crispiness! 😋
If you liked the recipe or have questions, feel free to comment here or on social media Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and X.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I replace the cooked ham with another type of deli meat to give the dish a different touch?
To keep the dish light, bresaola is an excellent alternative to cooked ham. It is leaner, yet still flavorful, and will add an extra touch of flavor without weighing down the dish.
