Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Eggplant
- 1 globe eggplant, sliced into 1.5cm rounds
- 10 g kosher salt
- 30 ml olive oil
Tomato Basil Sauce
- 15 ml olive oil
- 2 garlic, minced
- 400 g crushed tomatoes
- 10 g fresh basil, finely chopped
- g salt
- g black pepper
Topping and Assembly
- 150 g soft goat cheese, crumbled or sliced
- 3 plum tomatoes, sliced into 1cm rounds
- 5 g fresh basil, whole leaves for garnish
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Arrange the sliced eggplant rounds on a wire rack or cutting board. Sprinkle both sides generously with kosher salt and let sit for 30 minutes to draw out excess moisture and bitterness.
While the eggplant is resting, heat 15ml of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and saute for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
Stir the crushed tomatoes, salt, and black pepper into the saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped basil.
Thoroughly rinse the rested eggplant slices under cold water to remove the excess salt. Pat them completely dry using paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Brush both sides of each slice evenly with the remaining 30ml of olive oil.
Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the eggplant slices for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Ensure they are deeply marked by the grill and completely tender in the center.
Preheat the oven to 200 C or 400 F. Transfer the grilled eggplant rounds to a baking sheet. Spread a thick layer of goat cheese onto each round, and top with a slice of fresh plum tomato.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 5 minutes, just until the goat cheese softens slightly and the plum tomatoes are warmed through but still retain their shape.
Spoon a generous circle of the warm tomato basil sauce onto the center of each serving plate. Carefully arrange the eggplant stacks over the sauce and garnish with whole fresh basil leaves.
Chef's Notes
- Salting the eggplant (osmosis) breaks down the spongy cell structure, preventing it from absorbing too much oil during grilling while concentrating its flavor.
- For the cleanest presentation, select plum tomatoes that closely match the diameter of your eggplant slices.
- Do not skip patting the eggplant completely dry after rinsing. Any residual moisture will cause the eggplant to steam rather than sear on the grill pan.
- If using a softer goat cheese log, placing it in the freezer for 10 minutes prior to assembly will make it much easier to slice into neat rounds.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store components separately. Assembled eggplant will become soggy if stored together with the sauce.
Freezer: 1 month — Only the tomato sauce can be frozen. Do not freeze the eggplant or goat cheese.
Reheating: Reheat the sauce gently in a saucepan. Warm the eggplant and cheese in a 175 C oven until just heated through.
