Description
Crispy fried eggplant topped with a vibrant salsa fresca and crumbled cheese. A unique twist on classic bruschetta, perfect for appetizers.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 cups (237 ml) eggplant, sliced in rounds
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp water
- Panko crumbs
- 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp pepper
- Salsa Fresca
- 3-4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 2 Tbsp onion, chopped
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
- 1 tsp chopped cilantro
- Squirt of lime juice
- Salt
- Cotija or feta cheese crumbles
Instructions
- Mix the egg and water in a shallow bowl.
- In another shallow bowl, mix the Panko, salt, and pepper.
- Dip the eggplant rings in the egg and then dredge in the Panko mixture.
- Place the coated eggplant in a pan coated with olive oil and cook over medium-high heat until golden brown and crispy with a tender center.
- Top the fried eggplant with salsa fresca and sprinkle with cotija or feta cheese crumbles.
- Salsa Fresca
- Stir all of the chopped veggies together and season to taste with salt.
- Cover the salsa with plastic wrap and let it chill for several hours to bring out the flavors.
Notes
- For extra crispy eggplant, ensure the panko is evenly distributed and the oil is hot before frying.
- If you don’t have Cotija cheese, feta or even a sharp cheddar will work well as a substitute.
- Store leftover salsa fresca in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Pan-Frying
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 slices
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 50