Aubergine Appetiser – A Simple Italian Starter
Welcome to the first instalment of my series where I test out recipes from an obscure 1990s Italian cookbook. I’m starting this series with the eggplant appetiser (Antipasto di Melanzane) – in the antipasto section:
This Neapolitan inspired recipe is very simple; using only three fresh ingredients, the remaining items are ones you’ll likely find in your cupboards. The recipe method is also very straightforward, but I did find the task of deseeding the tomatoes to be a bit tedious and unnecessary. I would skip this step, unless you’re really particular about tomato pips. The timings were also quite inaccurate and the heat directions were vague. I ended up using my intuition and cooked the aubergines on a high heat for a further five minutes and the tomatoes for a further ten.
The end result was nice but tasted very tart and was missing some depth in flavour. I would add a bit of sugar to counteract the sharpness and some fresh herbs, like some basil or parsley, to really elevate this dish.
FINAL RECIPE RATING: 7/10
Overall, I think with some tweaks this dish would be a great starter for a dinner party, alongside some focaccia, cold meats, and olives. Here’s my revised version if you’d like to give it a go:
Eggplant Appetiser – Antipasto di Melanzane
Ingredients
- 2 large aubergines
- 350 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large tomatoes diced
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 120 ml water
- Handful of fresh basil shredded
- Salt + pepper to season
- 1 teaspoon sugar or honey to taste optional
Instructions
- Cut the aubergines into long strips – about 6 cm long and half a centimetre thick.
- Heat two thirds of the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Working in two separate batches, cook the aubergines for around ten minutes or until softened. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add the extra oil to the saucepan along with the crushed garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, and water. Cook for around 20 minutes at a medium-high heat or until it resembles a thick pasta sauce.
- Add in the cooked aubergine, fresh herbs, and seasoning. Stir and give it a taste – if it’s too tart, you can add a tiny bit of sugar or honey to balance out the flavour.
- Spoon into a serving bowl and enjoy hot or cold with some fresh bread.
Notes
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Watch the cooking process here:
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