Roasted Eggplant Timbale
My roasted eggplant timbale is a recipe I feature on my Foodie trips to Sicily. It combines roasted eggplant and tomatoes with fresh mozzarella and basil and is quite simple to make.
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
Cut the plum tomatoes in half lengthwise and place them cut side up on one of the baking sheets. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half lengthwise and place them on the other baking sheet. Drizzle the tomatoes on both sheets with the olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake the tomatoes in the preheated oven: cherry tomatoes for 25 minutes and the plum tomatoes for 1 hour.
Cut the eggplant into 3/4-inch dice and place them on a Silicone baking mat or parchment lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
TOOL TIP:
This set of four timbale ring molds is great for making uniformly stacked piles of food from salads and roasted vegetables to cooked seafood and desserts. The “pusher” assists in lightly compacting the ingredients to ensure a tightly formed stack that will not collapse.
When the eggplant and tomatoes are done cooking, cool them to room temperature. Pour the juice from the tomato and eggplant pans into a mixing bowl. Add the vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 Tablespoons chopped basil.
For assembly and presentation, place a 3-inch timbale ring mold on the center of a salad plate. Layer in 1/8 of the roasted eggplant, a slice of the fresh mozzarella and a roasted 1/2 plum tomato. Continue with another layer pressing down gently on the final tomato to firm up the stack. Remove the mold form. Decorate the plate with the roasted cherry tomato halves, the remaining plum tomato half and a sprig of fresh basil. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and chopped basil. Serve.
Roasted Eggplant Timbale
Course: AppetizersCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy4
servings25
minutes1
hourIngredients
6 plum tomatoes
2 dozen small cherry/grape tomatoes, various colors
extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 large eggplants, cut into 3/4-inch dice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 four-ounce (Ovoline - egg-sized) balls fresh mozzarella, buffalo if available, cut into 8 slices
1 bunch fresh basil
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with Silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Cut the plum tomatoes in half lengthwise and place them cut side up on one of the baking sheets. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half lengthwise and place them on the other baking sheet. Drizzle the tomatoes on both sheets with the olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bake the tomatoes in the preheated oven: cherry tomatoes for 25 minutes and the plum tomatoes for 1 hour.
- Place the diced eggplant on a Silicone baking mat or parchment lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
- When the eggplant and tomatoes are done cooking, cool them to room temperature. Pour the juice from the tomato and eggplant pans into a mixing bowl. Add the vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 Tablespoons chopped basil.
- For assembly and presentation, place a 3-inch timbale ring mold on the center of a salad plate. Layer in 1/8 of the roasted eggplant, a slice of the fresh mozzarella and a roasted 1/2 plum tomato. Continue with another layer pressing down gently on the final tomato to firm up the stack. Remove the mold form. Decorate the plate with the roasted cherry tomato halves, the remaining plum tomato half and a sprig of fresh basil. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and chopped basil. Serve.
