Roasted Eggplant Caprese Style Appetizer
Looking for a dish that’s fresh, light, and effortlessly impressive? 🌿🍆 My Roasted Eggplant Rounds Caprese Style Appetizer is a simple twist on the classic Italian salad. With tender roasted eggplant as the base, layered with juicy tomatoes, creamy fresh Aisago cheese, and fragrant basil, this recipe takes almost no effort—yet it tastes like something straight off a restaurant menu. Elegant enough for entertaining, but easy enough for a weeknight dinner. ✨🇮🇹
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant sliced into about 15 rounds (about ½" thick)
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
- 3 - 4 garden ripe tomatoes sliced
- 15 small slices of fresh Asiago cheese imported from Italy, not the black rind Asiago
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- Wash and trim eggplant. Slice into about 15 rounds, about ¼" thick. Season with salt. Place slices in sieve/colander set into bowl. Weight slices down. Set aside for about 10 to 20 minutes. Then rinse eggplant slices. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Drizzle olive oil on large baking sheet pan. Dip each slice into oil and arrange on pan. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake for about 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and place tomato slice on each round. Season lightly with salt and top with a generous amount of cheese.
- Drizzle with a little olive oil.
- Broil for a few minutes to melt cheese.
- Garnish with fresh basil. Serve with arugula salad and crusty bread.