Mini Eggplant Pies

Tortini di Melanzane

Hello, finally I am back after a long break due to the fact that we moved to another house!  What a stressful time!!!

The summer has started and I can't wait to make a lot of new amazing dishes!

This is a fresh and tasty summer dish; I often use fire roasted eggplants and the result is great as well. One of the best things about this recipe is that you can make the mini eggplant pies ahead of time, keep them in the fridge and heat them in the oven when you are ready for dinner.

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: about  20 minutes
Class: economy-healthy

Serves  2-3

Ingredients:

3-4 large eggplants
some cups vegetable oil (enough to fry the eggplants),
salt to taste
3-4 fresh round tomatoes
¼ lb. (110g) mozzarella cheese, finely chopped
a bunch basil leaves, chopped or shredded
1 tbsp. dried oregano
2 tbsp.  extra virgin olive oil

Method:

1.        Cut eggplants into round slices, approx.  ½ inch (1.50 cm) thick .
2.        Meanwhile heat the vegetable oil.
3.        Fry the eggplant slices until golden brown; place on paper towel and season with salt.
4.        Cut tomatoes into thin round slices, season with salt and set aside. 
5.        In a bowl, combine mozzarella cheese, basil, oregano and extra virgin olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt.
6.        Preheat oven at 430° F (220°C) and brush a baking pan with oil.
7.        Start to build the pies: On the bottom of the baking pan, place several eggplant slices, cover each one with a tomato slice, then spread 1 tbsp. of cheese mixture over each tomato slice. Place a second eggplant slice on the cheese, then another tomato slice, then spread another tbsp. of cheese mixture on the tomato slices and finish with an eggplant slice on top.
8.         Continue to build pies, alternating the layers in this manner until all the ingredients are used up.
9.        Bake for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool for some minutes before serving. Garnish with basil if desired.