An easy way to make aubergines feel a lot more exciting: halfway between mini pizzas, a snack and a light dinner.

Quick info

  • Servings: 1 medium aubergine = 1 person / 1 large aubergine = 2 people
  • Prep: 15 minutes
  • Baking: 15 + 7 minutes
  • Tools: baking tray, baking paper, knife, spoon, pastry brush

Ingredients

  • aubergines to taste
  • tomato passata to taste (or ready-made basil sauce)
  • mozzarella to taste (or scamorza, or any cheese that melts)
  • fresh basil or oregano to taste
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper

Method

  1. Prep the aubergines: wash and slice into rounds at least 1 cm (0.4 in) thick. Don’t go thinner — they’ll dry out in the oven.

  2. First bake: lay the rounds on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush them with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in a conventional oven at 190°C (374°F) for 15 minutes.

  3. Prep the topping: season the tomato passata with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper. Roughly chop the mozzarella.

  4. Assemble: take the aubergines out, spoon tomato onto each slice (leave the edges clean), then add cheese in the middle. Add basil or oregano and a drizzle of oil.

  5. Second bake: back in the oven for another 7 minutes, until the cheese is properly melted.

  6. Serve hot or warm.

Notes

They keep in the fridge for 1–2 days and reheat easily in the oven or a pan. Slipped between two slices of bread, they do a pretty convincing impression of a parmigiana.

Baked aubergine mini-pizzas