The Mediterranean roasted eggplant recipe with bacon, tomato and mozzarella and with grated cheddar on top is the perfect choice for a light and tasty appetizer. It is an easy recipe; it is made in a relatively short time and can be adapted according to everyone’s ideas or ingredients.
Table of Contents
Eggplants or aubergines are among my favourites because they are healthy and have a special taste. Whether we make for them a tasty dip or use them in the wonderful ratatouille or a main course like the delicious moussaka, eggplants are extraordinary.
Let’s first review the ingredients I thought of using in this recipe.
Ingredients
For three servings, I will use two large eggplants, two large ripe tomatoes, a piece of mozzarella of about 120 g (4.2 oz), and 150 g (5.3 oz) cheddar cheese that I will grate on top.
This would have been the vegetarian option, but because we also eat meat, I felt the need to add 85 g (3 oz) of smoked bacon which will add an extra flavour to our dish.
Preparing the Ingredients
The first time I slice the eggplant, so with a knife, I will cut slices 1 cm thick without peeling the eggplant, and I will place them scattered on a paper towel.
Season the eggplant slices with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and let them sit for about 10 minutes, the salt will remove from the bitter liquid contained in the eggplant, and the paper towel will absorb it.
During this time, I will chop the tomatoes, but first, I cut them in half and with a spoon, I will remove the core with seeds; I want to use only the pulp from the tomatoes.
I will cut the mozzarella first in two and then slice it into not-too-thick slices, and I calculate so that it reaches one piece on all the eggplant slices. Bacon, if you have it whole or sliced, cut it into cubes.
All we have to do is grate the cheddar cheese, I made it on the large grater, and we can assemble this delicious dish.
How to Make the Mediterranean Roasted Eggplant Recipe?
To save time, we need an oven tray as large as possible to fit all the eggplant slices at once. We place the eggplant slices next to each other without having to put baking paper under them so that they don’t stick.
Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over each slice (or grease with a kitchen brush) and divide the bacon cubes on them (about a teaspoon each), forming the first layer of filling.
The next row will be chopped tomatoes, and I will evenly distribute the entire amount of chopped tomatoes over the smoked bacon.
Over the tomatoes, I will place a piece of mozzarella on each slice of eggplant, which will melt and give a special taste to the roasted eggplant.
On top, I will put the last ingredient, grated cheddar cheese (you can replace it with Pecorino or Parmesan), which will melt and close all the ingredients, like a lid, on eggplant slices.
Baking the Dish
Preheat the oven to 200 C and bake the eggplant slices for about 15-20 minutes, until the cheddar cheese is melted and has a copper-coloured crust.
I’m done; this was my Mediterranean roasted eggplant recipe, ready to serve now while they are still warm. Let’s taste them!
Serving
I recommend serving the Mediterranean roasted eggplants while they are hot, as an appetizer, as such or with a slice of fresh bread and with a glass of cold beer.
Try my Mediterranean roasted eggplant recipe, and eventually, write to us about what ingredients you would use for this recipe; we are curious to try your ideas. You can also try one of the following appetizer recipes:
- Best Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Recipe
- Stuffed Aubergines Recipe
- Homemade Hash Browns Recipe
- Best Breaded Eggplant Recipe
- Stuffed Mushrooms With Cheese and Bacon
- Deviled Eggs Without Vinegar
- Smoked Mackerel Spread
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Mediterranean Roasted Eggplant Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Oven tray
Ingredients
- 2 pieces eggplants large size
- 2 pieces tomatoes large, riped
- 3 oz bacon 85 g, smoked
- 4.2 oz mozzarella 120 g
- 5.3 oz cheddar 150 g
- 2 tsp sea salt kosher
- 1 tsp ground pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- With a knife, cut slices 1 cm thick, without peeling the eggplant, and place them scattered on a paper towel. Season the eggplant slices with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and let them sit for about 10 minutes.
- Chop the tomatoes, but first cut them in half and with a spoon, remove the core with seeds and use only the pulp from the tomatoes. Cut the mozzarella first in two and then slice it into not too thick slices, calculate so that it reaches one piece on all the eggplant slices. Bacon, if you have it whole or sliced, cut it into cubes. Grate the cheddar cheese on the large grater.
- Place the eggplant slices next to each other on the baking tray, without having to put baking paper. Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over each slice and divide the bacon cubes on them. Distribute the entire amount of chopped tomatoes over the smoked bacon and place on each slice of eggplant a piece of mozzarella. On top, put the last ingredient, the grated cheddar cheese.
- Preheat the oven to 200 C and bake the eggplant slices for about twenty minutes, until the cheddar cheese is melted and has a copper-coloured crust.
- I recommend serving fried eggplants while they are hot, as an appetizer, as such or with a slice of fresh bread and with a glass of cold beer.