Eggplant and Mozzarella Tower

Name: Eggplant and Mozzarella Tower
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Mozzarella cheese 5 ½ cups; Eggplant long 0.8 lb; Fine salt to taste; Tomato purée &frac13; cup; Basil 6 leaves; Garlic ½ clove; Coarse salt 1 pinch; Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp; Basil 0.5 oz; Pecorino cheese 0.2 oz; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 1 tbsp; Pine nuts 0.3 tbsp

it br de es fr

487

Calories per serving

Gluten Free
Vegetarian

Energy Kcal 487
Carbohydrates g 4.7
of which sugars g 4.7
Protein g 32.6
Fats g 37.5
of which saturated fat g 19.59
Fiber g 3.2
Cholesterol mg 77
Sodium mg 579

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Serving: 4

PRESENTATION

The eggplant mozzarella tower is a dish that’s, like, really good. It comes from Southern Italy, mainly Campania and Sicily. And here’s the thing—it’s a twist on the traditional parmigiana di melanzane. But instead of baking in a big dish, it’s all about stacking grilled eggplant slices with layers of creamy mozzarella. Super tasty.

Unlike the classic version, this one’s all about keeping it light and fresh, focusing on grilling. It adds a smoky charm to every bite. Plus, there’s pesto—yeah, a Northern Italian touch—which gives it a zesty and colorful flair. Each tower bursts with taste, for real. It’s a fun way to enjoy the rich flavors of Southern Italy while shaking up your dinner routine.

This eggplant and mozzarella stack works as an appetizer, a second course, or even as part of a festive buffet. And look, its visual appeal and easy prep make it perfect for impressing guests without spending all day cooking. By grilling instead of frying, it stays lighter—gotta love that Southern Italian flavor without the heavy feel. The mozzarella becomes melty and soft, which is great.

Oh, and for those avoiding dairy, try substituting tofu for mozzarella. Seriously, it’s a surprisingly tasty alternative, making this dish adaptable for different diets. Preparation can be done ahead of time, and here’s the deal—these towers taste wonderful even at room temperature. Pretty simple.

Whether you’re planning a sit-down meal or a casual get-together, the eggplant mozzarella appetizer is a perfect fit. It brings a touch of Italian sunshine to your table. So, for those seeking a vegetarian eggplant dish that’s visually striking and packed with flavor, this eggplant mozzarella tower is sure to be a hit. Really really. It’s easy to make and offers a burst of Southern Italian flair, no matter where you are. Enjoy the fusion of traditional and modern tastes, and let this dish be the star of your next gathering.

INGREDIENTS

487

Calories per serving

Ingredients for 12 towers: Mozzarella cheese 5 ½ cups (625 g); Eggplant 0.8 lb (380 g) - long; Fine salt to taste; Tomato purée ⅓ cup (80 g); Basil 6 leaves -

For 40 gr of pesto: Garlic ½ clove; Coarse salt 1 pinch -; Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp (20 g); Basil 0.5 oz (15 g) -; Pecorino cheese 0.2 oz (5 g); Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 1 tbsp (15 g); Pine nuts 0.3 tbsp (3 g)

Preparation

How to prepare Eggplant and Mozzarella Tower

To prepare the eggplant and mozzarella towers, you can start by making the pesto that will be combined with the tomato sauce (if you already have homemade pesto, you can use 120 gr of it), you can refer to the procedure here: Genoese pesto (Pesto alla genovese). Clean the basil leaves with a soft cloth. In a mortar (if you don't have one, you can use a mixer for the entire process) put the peeled garlic along with a few grains of coarse salt, start pounding and when the garlic is creamy, add the basil leaves along with a pinch of coarse salt 1. Crush the basil against the walls of the mortar, rotating the pestle from left to right and simultaneously rotate the mortar in the opposite direction 2. Continue until a bright green liquid comes out from the basil leaves; then add the pine nuts and start pounding again to make it creamy. Add the cheeses a little at a time, mixing continuously, and finally the extra virgin olive oil in a thin stream 3. Mix the ingredients well until you get a smooth sauce. Now that the pesto is ready, set it aside.

Continue with the preparation of the eggplants: wash them and remove the ends 4, then cut the eggplants into slices about 0.4 inches thick 5. Heat a grill on the stove, and only when it is very hot, place the eggplant slices on top 6.

Wait about 3 minutes, and when the eggplants are well roasted, turn them over and continue cooking for another 3 minutes. Once grilled, place the eggplants on a plate 8 and set them aside for a moment. At this point, cut the mozzarella into slices about 0.2 inches thick 9 and set them aside in a colander if the mozzarella is very wet.

Pour the tomato sauce into a small bowl, add the pesto 10, and mix everything with a spoon 11. At this point, all the ingredients are ready, you just need to assemble your eggplant towers. Take a first grilled eggplant slice, add a teaspoon of pesto sauce 12

and place a slice of mozzarella 13. Cover again with a grilled eggplant slice 14 and repeat the same operation for another 2 times 15; in total, you should make three layers using 4 slices of eggplant.

Once the last slice of eggplant is placed, finish with a teaspoon of tomato 16, a slice of mozzarella, and skewer the tower with a toothpick to hold all the layers together 17. Transfer the towers to a baking tray lined with parchment paper 18 and bake in a preheated static oven at 392°F for 10 minutes.

Once out of the oven, place the eggplant towers on a serving plate 19, season with a pinch of black pepper, decorate with basil leaves 20 and serve them still hot 21.

Storage

Once cooked, it is recommended to consume the eggplant towers immediately; alternatively, they can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days at most, in an airtight container because the mozzarella might release liquid! Freezing is not recommended.

Advice

You can enrich the towers by letting your creativity run wild! We suggest trying to add some cooked ham or replacing the tomato sauce with sun-dried tomatoes!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.