Eggplant recipes are common across the southern half of the Italian peninsula. This is due to the perfect Mediterranean climate that gives the vegetables a rich, flavorful taste and a fullness unmatched by most other places in the world. Italians integrate eggplant into many of their summertime and fall recipes since the vegetables are plentiful and pair well with a number of other ingredients. Today’s recipe couldn’t be more Mediterranean if it tried to be! Our recipe is for baked eggplant with a cherry tomato and cheese finish.

What You’ll Need

• 1 large, ripe eggplant
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 block of smoked Scamorza cheese
• 2 ounces pitted black olives
• 1 ounce of capers
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 large pinch of dried Oregano

What You’ll Do

1. Wash and dry your fresh eggplant
2. Cut your eggplant into slices about ¾ inch thick
3. Place the eggplant slices on a drip pan lined with parchment paper
4. Cut your parchment paper in a grid design under your eggplant slices
5. Put oil, salt, and pepper to taste on your eggplant
6. Place in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 10 minutes
7. Wash and dry your tomatoes
8. Cut each tomato in half
9. Cut your smoked cheese into thin slices about ¼ inch thick each
10. Cut each of your capers roughly in half
11. Remove your eggplant slices from the oven and place one layer of Scamorza cheese on top of each eggplant slice
12. Add 2-4 tomato halves atop the Scamorza
13. Cut your pitted olives into thin slices and place them according to your preference on your eggplant
14. Throw your capers to the top, using as many as you care to
15. Season again with olive oil, salt and pepper
16. Put your eggplant slices back in the oven at 375 degrees
17. Allow to cook for 30 minutes
18. Remove your dish from the oven and season again to your taste. Lastly, add the dried oregano to the top of your slices.
19. Serve hot as a delicious appetizer for a late evening meal!