Transport yourself to Italy’s best-kept culinary secret and hottest new travel destination—the authentic and untouched regions of Puglia and Basilicata.
As the snow continues to fall and summer is yet a daydream, transport yourself to Italy’s best kept culinary secret and hottest new travel destination—the authentic and untouched sister regions of Puglia and Basilicata. Tucked respectively into the heel and instep of the boot of Italy, they converge into a lush beautiful landscape, ranging from sun-kissed wheat fields to soaring mountain peaks to densely forested interiors to the shores of the Ionian, Tyrrhenian, and Adriatic Seas.
Puglia is rich with fruits, vegetables, cheese, vineyards and olive groves; staples common to both regions include exceptional dairy produce, broad (fava) beans, pork and lamb. Almost without exception, regional dishes include at least one of the “holy trinity” of ingredients: wheat, olive oil and wine. With the superb quality of its ingredients and honest dishes born of its cooks’ endless ingenious capacity for making something spectacular out of nothing, southern Italy is fast becoming one of the best places to eat, not to mention drink! The regions have a reputation for lusty, country wines and as the local cuisine is becoming better known, the wines are gradually gaining critical acclaim
Puglia, from The Silver Spoon series, features beautiful photos, narrative texts that explore local ingredients, and recipes from The Silver Spoon archive, “The most influential Italian cookbook of the last fifty years.” Bring southern Italy into your kitchen with approachable recipes, such as Pasta e Cavolfiore (pasta, cauliflower and pancetta), Melanzane Ripiene al Sugo (stuffed eggplant with tomato sauce) and Fichi al Cioccolata (chocolate figs) and discover the Italian art of mangia bene, vivi felice – eating well and living happily!
Savory Stuffed Eggplant with Parmesan and Capers
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Tender eggplant shells are filled with a savory mixture of their own flesh, briny capers, and rich Parmesan cheese. Baked in a simple tomato sauce, this is a hearty and satisfying vegetarian main course.
Ingredients
- 6 long eggplants
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) coarse salt
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil (plus extra for deep-frying)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45ml) capers
- 3 eggs
- 70 g (2 3/4 oz / 3/4 cup) grated cheese (plus extra for sprinkling)
- 300 g (10 oz / 6 1/2 cups) fresh breadcrumbs
- 400 ml (14 fl oz / 1 3/4 cups) tomato sauce
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan and fry the eggplant flesh for about 5 minutes, until soft and lightly browned. Drain on paper towels, then place in a bowl.
- Add the capers, eggs, cheese (Parmesan or similar grated cheese), and breadcrumbs to the bowl with the eggplant flesh to form a soft stuffing. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Fill the reserved eggplant shells with the stuffing.
- Heat about 1 inch (2.5 cm) depth of oil in a frying pan or skillet until very hot. Put the filled shells in the pan, stuffing side down, and fry for about 3 minutes, until browned and heated through.
- Lift out the fried shells with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Pour the tomato sauce into an oven dish, arrange the fried eggplant in it, stuffing side up, and bake for 20 minutes.
- Allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with grated cheese to serve.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
