There are recipes that are undoubtedly classics of Mediterranean cuisine and this is one of them: eggplant, tomato and mozzarella timbales, which we finish with a delicious pesto and serve with black olives.
We sear the eggplants on the grill, and after assembling the timbales, we give them a blast of heat to melt the mozzarella so it melds with the tomato. Delicious!
It's a very simple dish to make but with an exquisite presentation on the plate, and it works both as a starter, a side for a main course, or to compose a combined plate. I recommend it!
Here's the video recipe and below the ingredients and preparation with step by step instructions.
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants
- 3 tomatoes
- 2 mozzarellas
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Black olives
- Basil leaves
For the pesto sauce:
- 1/2 clove of garlic
- 1 bunch of basil
- 30 g of shelled walnuts
- 40 g of Parmesan cheese
- 100 ml of olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Preparation
- Cut the eggplants, tomatoes and mozzarella into slices of similar thickness (if you use a mandoline you'll ensure homogeneous cuts).
- Add a generous splash of oil in the Le Creuset rectangular grill grill, and add the eggplant slices to the pan. Roast them for 2-3 minutes on each side and season with salt and pepper.
- Once browned, place them in a Le Creuset rectangular dish and on top add the tomato slices and season with salt and pepper.
- Now add the mozzarella on top of each timbale, and add another layer of tomato and eggplant slices.
- When the timbales are well assembled, bake them at 160 C for 6-8 minutes.
For the pesto sauce:
- Add all the ingredients to a jar and blend them with a hand blender or processor until you obtain a consistent, homogeneous sauce.
Plating:
- Remove the timbales from the oven and add the pesto sauce on top of each one.
- As a final touch, add chopped black olives and a basil leaf for garnish.
