Eggplant Fan

Even ordinary vegetables can be served as a gourmet dish, you just need to know some recipes and their tricks. An original dish – eggplant fan – will take its rightful place on the table. It is extremely easy to prepare, but this recipe will not only save your time but also surprise with its taste. Thanks to the cheese filling, the dish remains hearty despite being almost entirely made of vegetables.

Yield: 2 servings.

Caloric content: 137 kcal per 100 grams of the dish.

Cooking time: 70 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant;
• 2 tomatoes;
• 100 g of hard cheese;
• 3 tbsp of oil (vegetable or olive);
• 3 cloves of garlic;
• ½ tsp of salt;
• ½ tsp of dried cumin;
• ½ tsp of black ground pepper.

Preparation

1. Rinse the eggplant from soil impurities, paying special attention to the stem. Cut it into strips 6-7 mm thick, making sure they remain intact at the stem. We should get an eggplant fan, with the slices converging at the base of the vegetable. If your eggplants are very hefty and bulky, you can first split them in half lengthwise, and then divide each half into a fan shape.

2. Generously rub the fruit with salt and leave it for about 15 minutes. This technique helps eliminate the bitter taste typical of eggplants. After the vegetable has rested, rinse it under running water to remove excess salt. Let the liquid drain, then remove excess moisture with a paper towel.

3. Remove the stem from the tomatoes and cut them into thin slices about 3-4 mm thick. Cut the cheese into thin slices as well; in extreme cases, it can be grated on a fine grater.

4. Now let’s prepare the soak for the eggplants based on oil and spices. In a bowl, place the minced garlic, your favorite vegetable spices, and black pepper, preferably freshly ground. Also, don’t forget to add salt. Dress the spicy mixture with oil and mix the oil soak well.

5. Transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Spread out the fan of eggplant slices, gently pressing it with your palm. Generously coat the preparation with the dressing using a culinary brush, getting inside each slice.

6. Now distribute the prepared filling. Between each eggplant slice, lay a slice of tomato and cheese. Any leftover dressing can be spread over the filling.

7. Transfer the vegetables to a hot oven and bake them for about 40 minutes at 180-190 degrees. It’s important to refer to your own oven; baking time will depend on the thickness of the filling and the eggplants themselves. The dish will be ready when the vegetables soften and become tender, and the cheese melts. Watch so that the cheese doesn’t start to burn; if it does, cover the eggplant with foil until baking is complete.

8. The eggplant fan is ready to serve! This simple dish can become the main decoration of the table, including festive ones. The dish can be brightened up with herbs. A garlic mayo sauce goes perfectly with the eggplants. The beautiful presentation and spicy taste will please everyone, even those who do not love eggplants. Enjoy your meal!