If there were ever a dish to prove that Sicilian cooking is one big love affair with bold flavors, it’s caponata. A little cheeky but think of it as eggplant having a wild holiday fling with tomatoes, vinegar, and olives—sultry, tangy, and unapologetically Mediterranean.

This is not a side dish that politely sits in the corner; this is a caponata that flirts with your nose the moment it hits the pan and demands your attention until the very last bite.

What Is Caponata?

Caponata is a traditional Sicilian eggplant stew—sweet, sour, savory, and utterly seductive. The beauty of this dish lies in its balance: the richness of fried eggplant, the brightness of tomato, the briny pop of olives, and the gentle tang of vinegar, all swirling together into something greater than the sum of its parts.

Traditionally, green olives are used to cut through the sweetness but I play it a little cheeky— by using black olives instead. They melt into the dish with a softer, rounder saltiness, giving the caponata a darker, almost smoky depth. Authenticity purists, cover your eyes; flavor-seekers, this one’s for you.

Why This Caponata Recipe Works

The Tomato Base: Don’t settle for just any tomatoes. I use Mutti crushedtomatoes and a touch of Mutti tomato paste for that velvety, concentrated richness. The aroma alone will make you weak in the knees—it’s like bottling up the Sicilian sun and pouring it straight into your pan.

Eggplant Glory: Fried until golden, the eggplant cubes soak up the tomato sauce with all their caramelized, earthy sweetness.

Sweet & Sour Harmony: A splash of vinegar and a sprinkle of sugar (just enough to tease, not overwhelm) gives that iconic agrodolce twist that makes Sicilian cuisine unforgettable.

When the caponata bubbles away, your kitchen will smell like a bustling Sicilian trattoria—rich tomatoes simmering with garlic, eggplant caramelizing, vinegar hitting the pan with a tangy kiss. It’s intoxicating.

How to Serve Caponata

Caponata is one of those recipes that refuses to be pigeonholed. Serve it warm as a side dish, spoon it over grilled fish, or let it cool to room temperature and pile it high on bruschetta. But here’s my personal favorite:

Allow your homemade focaccia with pancetta to greedily soak up the sweet-and-sour juices your caponata has worked so hard to create. The salty pancetta, the pillowy bread, and the glossy vegetable stew—it’s a trio that might just make you forget your own name.

Make It Yours

Stick to green olives if you want the classic, briny sharpness of a traditional Sicilian nonna’s recipe. Play with capers, celery, or even raisins if you like more complexity. Always make enough for tomorrow—it’s even better once the flavors marry overnight.

This caponata recipe is a love letter to Sicily with just a touch of rebellion. It’s earthy, sweet, tangy, and utterly addictive. Whether you’re spooning it onto crusty bread, serving it alongside grilled meats, or letting your no knead homemade focaccia with pancetta do the soaking, one thing is guaranteed: this dish will seduce you, again and again.

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⠀

Fluffy Focaccia for Your Caponata

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Caponata

(+5 rating, 1 votes)

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Side, Lunch, Dinner – Italian, Sicilian

By Angela – Serves: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes – Cooking Time: 20 minutes – Total Time: 25 minnutes

Sicilian caponata recipe made with fried eggplants, tomato sauce and olives. A sweet and sour Mediterranean side or appetizer.

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant⠀
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar⠀
• 3 tablespoons (13ml) red wine vinegar⠀
• 1 golden onion⠀
• 1 celery stick⠀
• 400g mutti polpa (can of crushed tomatoes without skin)⠀
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste⠀
• 14 olives or more ⠀
• 2 teaspoons rinsed capers⠀
• fresh basil

Instructions

1

Rinse the capers 2 times

2

Dice the caponata into sizeable cubes, fry them until golden and light. Lay them on a kitchen paper towel to drain excess oil

3

Make the sweet and sour sauce by stirring sugar to the vinegar. ⠀

4

Your onions and celery should be diced to half the size of the eggplants

5

Sauté the onions until just golden, then toss in the celery to cook for about 2-3 minutes. You need them to retain that crispy crunch

6

Next, pour in crushed tomatoes and add a dollop of tomato paste, a pinch of salt and stir.

7

Pop in the rinsed capers, the sweet and sour sauce; stir and add in the olives.

8

Now add in the eggplants, then pine nuts and fresh basil leaves.

9

Let it cook for about 3 minutes just to marry the flavours and ingredients then serve it with your favourite bread or my homemade focaccia stuffed with pancetta ⠀

While the last thing a summer recipe would call for is something fried, Zucchini fritte which translates to fried zucchini or fried courgette is an appetiser that still gets people flocking to the table.

Why you say? Well, it could be that the floured and fried zucchini when properly done are not drenched with oil but crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They are a crowd pleaser and kids love them too. So here is how to make Zucchini fritte.

Zucchini Fritte Ingredients

Zucchini: opt for zucchini that is firm and doesn’t have any soft areas.

Course sea salt: do not substitute with fine sea salt

Plain flour: this is the flour you would usually use to make cookies. Not the flour used to make bread.

Vegetable oil: I used sunflower oil or

Tzatziki: Make your own tzatziki sauce using this recipe

This article contains affiliate links to which I would receive a commission should you make a qualifying purchase.

How To Make Fried Zucchini

Cut off the ends of the zucchini. Cut it in half then slice it into matchsticks.

Tip the matchstick zucchini into a colander placed over a bowl.

Sprinkle salt over the zucchini and evenly coat with your hands.

Let the zucchini sit for 15-20 minutes to rid it of the excess water.

After which, quickly run the zucchini over cold water to remove the excess salt. Press to squeeze out the water before laying half the batch on a chopping board lined with kitchen paper towels.

Cover the zucchini with more kitchen paper towels and press to absorb the water. You could also roll the paper towels (with the zucchini sandwiched in between) and squeeze (not wring) from the top ending at the bottom to remove as much water as you can.

Heat the oil to an optimum temperature.

Use a strainer to transfer the zucchini onto a plate and sprinkle the plain flour onto it, toss them between your fingers to coat. Do the same with the semolina flour.

Carefully put the zucchini into the oil and fry until golden brown. Then tip them them onto a plate lined with kitchen paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

Coat the second batch of zucchini with the flour and semolina then fry.

Serve hot with a side of tzatziki or lemon and garlic mayo sauce.

Please give this Zucchine Fritte (Fried Zucchini) recipe a thumbs up below. And try my other zucchini recipes.

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You Might Also Love This Zucchini Recipe

Zucchini With Ricotta Pizza

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Zucchine Fritte (Fried Zucchini)

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Appetiser – Italian

By Angela – Serves: 3

Prep Time: 30 minutes – Cooking Time: 10 minutes – Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 large/ 420g zucchini
• 1 tablespoon course sea salt
• 3/4 cup/80g plain flour
• 2 tablespoons fine semolina flour
• 500ml vegetable oil
• 
  
• TOOLS
• Useful tools (affiliated links) for this recipe:
• fryer
• strainer

Instructions

1

Cut off the ends of the zucchini. Cut it in half then slice it into matchsticks.

2

Tip the matchstick zucchini into a colander placed over a bowl.

3

Sprinkle salt over the zucchini and evenly coat with your hands.

4

Let the zucchini sit for 15-20 minutes to rid it of the excess water.

5

After which, quickly run the zucchini over cold water to remove the excess salt. Press to squeeze out the water before laying half the batch on a chopping board lined with kitchen paper towels.

6

Cover the zucchini with more kitchen paper towels and press to absorb the water. You could also roll the paper towels (with the zucchini sandwiched in between) and squeeze (not wring) from the top ending at the bottom to remove as much water as you can.

7

Heat the oil to an optimum temperature.

8

Use a strainer to transfer the zucchini onto a plate and sprinkle the plain flour onto it, toss them between your fingers to coat. Do the same with the semolina flour.

9

Carefully put the zucchini into the oil and fry on high heat over the stove or using a fryer for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Then tip them them onto a plate lined with kitchen paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

10

Coat the second batch of zucchini with the flour and semolina then fry.

11

Serve hot with a side of tzatziki or lemon and garlic mayo sauce.

Let’s get playful with the next appetizer you serve. Let it be made of homemade ravioli sheets (it really is easier than you think) and stuff it with finely diced ham and cheese. Then because that might be a wee bit dry, let’s make a super simple tomato sauce infused with garlic oil for a simple dipping sauce, if we can call it that. Why should you try this fried ham and cheese ravioli recipe?

Well, it’s super simple to make. And If you intend to use the recipe for hosting a little crowd over, then you can make the sheets and stuffing in advance then fry the ravioli on the day. What’s more, if you have little ones in the house who are itching to help out in the kitchen, you could have them roll the stuffing in their hands and pass them to you to finish.

But here’s another plus to the fried ham and cheese ravioli, once you successfully make this recipe. You can move on to replicate it using other stuffing.

How to make fried ham and cheese ravioli

Make the ravioli sheet

Pour the flour onto the counter and make a well in the middle, crack the eggs into the well then pour in the oil and sprinkle of salt. Whisk the eggs and slowly incorporate the eggs into the flour

Knead for about 5 minutes or until the pasta dough is soft. Wrap in cling film and leave it to rest for 30 minutes.

In the meantime; prepare the stuffing by finely chopping the ham and mozzarella, then stir both to the Parmigiano/Parmesan, a pinch of salt, and black pepper (optionally).

After 30 minutes, portion the pasta dough into 4 pieces. Working on one quarter at a time, with the rest wrapped in cling film. Lightly flour your working surface and use a rolling pin to flatten out the dough to the thinnest you can get it.

Then fold the dough (see video) and cut the ravioli sheet into bite-size pieces. If you have a ravioli shaping tool then you can use that as well.

Use a teaspoon to scoop and fill one side of the ‘sheet’ then lightly brush some whisked egg to the opposite side of the sheet.

Now cover the ‘sheet’ that has been filled with the one brushed with egg and pinch the edges. Then use a fork to press on the edges, dip them in the egg and bread them.

Fry the ravioli at high heat for 2 minutes then let the excess oil drain on a kitchen towel.

Make the tomato dipping sauce

Heat some oil on a frying pan, toss in some garlic to infuse the oil for a few seconds before pouring in the passata. Reduce the heat to low and let that thicken for about 5-8 minutes

Add salt and pepper to taste

Let it cool before serving with the fried ravioli

And that’s it! If you can make this, you can alternate the stuffing to use other delicious ingredients of your choosing.

Please give the fried ham and cheese ravioli a thumbs up below.

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Fried ham and cheese ravioli

(+10 rating, 2 votes)

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Appetizer – Undefined

By Angela – Serves: 15-20

Prep Time: 1 hour – Cooking Time: 16 minutes – Total Time: 1 hour 16 minutes

Delicious, slightly crispy fried ravioli stuffed with ham and cheese.

Ingredients

• RAVIOLI SHEET
• 300g plain flour
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• FILLING
• 250g Fresh mozzarella
• 170g thinly sliced cooked ham
• 60g Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan)
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Make the ravioli sheet

1

Pour the flour onto the counter and make a well in the middle, crack the eggs into the well then pour in the oil and sprinkle of salt. Whisk the eggs and slowly incorporate the eggs into the flour

2

Knead for about 5 minutes or until the pasta dough is soft. Wrap in cling film and leave it to rest for 30 minutes.

3

In the meantime; prepare the stuffing by finely chopping the ham and mozzarella, then stir both to the Parmigiano/Parmesan, a pinch of salt, and black pepper (optionally).

Combine

4

After 30 minutes, portion the pasta dough into 4 pieces. Working on one quarter at a time, make sure to wrap the rest in cling film. Lightly flour your working surface and use a rolling pin to flatten out the dough to the thinnest you can get it.

5

Then fold the dough (see video) and cut the ravioli sheet into bite-size pieces.

6

Use a teaspoon to scoop and fill one side of the 'sheet' then lightly brush some whisked egg to the opposite side of the sheet.

7

Now cover the 'sheet' that has been filled with the one brushed with egg and pinch the edges. Then use a fork to press on the edges, dip them in the egg and bread them.

8

Fry the ravioli on high heat for 2 minutes then let the excess oil drain on a kitchen towel.

Make the tomato sauce

9

Heat some oil on a frying pan, toss in some garlic to infuse the oil for a few seconds before pouring in the passata. Reduce the heat to low and let that thicken for about 5-8 minutes

10

Add salt and pepper to taste

11

Let it cool before serving with the fried ravioli

Before Covid struck, traffic on the highway from Rome heading to the south was a tell that summer was here. It was the perfect excuse to laze around as the scorching heat can surely take its toll. Jump on the back of your lover’s scooter and drive off to the beach. Enjoy the calming scenery as you cruise through Positano on your way to Sorrento. Or maybe further down to the Amalfi coast- the choice is yours.

And once you get there, drench yourself in the healing Mediterranean sea salt. Then come out for some gelato or famous lemon granita. Bum around a little more; now head home and eat mozzarella in Carrozza followed by that much-deserved afternoon snooze. Then wake up, have a coffee and start it all over again.

” It’s a perfect marriage between french toast and cheese melt.“

I know I know. For most, summer is not the time to have anything fried. However, for me, it calls for whipping up something quick and spending the rest of your time doing the other important stuff. You know, like hanging out with friends and family. Or losing yourself in that book you cannot seem to put down. Maybe even just fall asleep listening to the radio as you busk in the sun at a picnic.

So What IS Mozzarella in Carrozza?

Mozzarella in carrozza is the next best-fried snack after arancini or croquette. Here is a hint: it’s a perfect marriage between French toast and cheese melt. It’s a sandwich with a mozzarella filling (many use mozzarella), sealed in with an egg wash which is then breaded and shallow fried to a perfect golden brown.

If you like mozzarella sticks, fried bread, or super cheesy fried foods then this is definitely worth a try.

Want to spice your mozzarella in carrozza up a notch? Sprinkle in a pinch of freshly ground black pepper- yes I have an inexplicable obsession with this spice. You could alternatively use other spices and herbs you like on the breading.

‘Secrets’ to a Bangin’ Mozzarella in Carrozza

Bread: Do not use thickly sliced bread, a good ol stale sandwich bread works best.

Cheese: If you absolutely cannot find simple fresh mozzarella, you can use smoked mozzarella. However, don’t use buffalo mozzarella as this is way too wet (unless you drain it, but this is such a waste of good cheese) and will sog up your bread.

Fresh plain mozzarella may be a little plain for some, so sprinkle in some salt and pepper or even parmesan to ‘bring it to life’.

Thinly slice the mozzarella to half the thickness of the slice of bread, then lay them on kitchen paper and fold over the mozzarella to soak up the excess milky juiciness. This will keep the bread from being soggy.

Seasoning: While the ham (if used) is a little salty, it may not be enough. So season the egg with salt, and if you want some black pepper, sprinkle some freshly ground onto the toppings then seal it with the bread.

Less is more: Keep it simple, and do not overfill the bread otherwise, you risk it ripping or pockets forming on the side leading to leaks and fillings pouring out.

Press: Once you have ‘sandwiched’ the mozzarella and ham in between the slices of bread, you need to gently press on it. This will keep it all in place.

Breading: Keep it light, place the mozzarella in carrozza on the breadcrumbs (preferably natural) then sprinkle some crumbs on top of it and make sure the edges and sides are breaded. Hold the bread and gently tap to seal.

Frying: This is crucial, the oil needs to be hot and at least 180° C/350° F. If the oil is not hot enough, you will end up with a sad oil-drenched sandwich.

So make this addictive mozzarella in carroza and let me know your thoughts. Please give it a thumbs up below.

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Need Bread for Your Mozzarella in Carrozza?

Sandwich Bread, An Ode to Love

Simple sandwich bread using white flour.

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Mozzarella in Carrozza

(+5 rating, 1 votes)

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Lunch/Snack/Dinner – Italian, Mediterranean

By Angela – Serves: 2

Prep Time: 10 minutes – Cooking Time: 4 minutes – Total Time: 14 minutes

Mozzarella in carrozza or fried bread cheese sandwich is the perfect way to use up old bread, leftover ham, and mozzarella cheese. Need a new comfort snack?

Ingredients

• 4 slices of white bread
• 125g fresh mozzarella
• 2 slices cooked ham (thinly sliced)
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons full-fat milk
• Salt and black pepper
• Parmigiano Reggiano (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups Bread crumbs
• Frying oil (enough to deep fry the mozzarella in carrozza)

Instructions

PREPARE

1

Slice the bread into about 1cm width if it's not already sliced

2

Slice mozzarella into thin slices, drain by layering them between kitchen paper towels, and gently pressing to soak up excess milk

3

Add the salt, freshly ground black pepper, and milk to the eggs and whisk. Prepare a plate with the plain flour and another with breadcrumbs

ASSEMBLE

4

Make a sandwich by laying the mozzarella in one layer over the bread, topping with the ham, and a sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano (if using) add another layer of mozzarella then cover with the other slice. Gently press on the sandwich to seal

5

Coat the sandwich with a thin even layer of plain flour, then dip into the egg mixture and finally the breadcrumbs

FRY

6

Heat the oil to 180°C/350°F on a wide pan over medium heat, and fry the sandwich turning after about 1 minute on each side or until a nice golden brown.

7

Lay the mozzarella in carrozza on a kitchen paper towel to soak up excess oil

8

Best served fresh off the fryer

Imagine a cozy afternoon or evening indoors, with roasted chestnuts fresh off the oven. And a piping hot batch of homemade mulled wine to wash it down. And what better tune to perfect the mood than Nat King Cole’s: Chestnuts roasting on the open fire song. Chillout Christmas recipe anyone?

Okay, okay, that was a little cheesy i know. But it just slipped out and seemed to fit so well into the scene you know?

I just had an idea, wouldn’t it be nice to have a little cozy café with a fireplace that blooms in Christmas with the whole shebang!

You know, the little yellow lights strung across the walls and ceiling. Scented by potpourri or better yet, the spicy aroma of freshly brewed mulled wine. And the seductive fireplace ‘gifting’ roasted chestnuts or other toasted nuts.

Ahh! I think i am getting carried away with the whole christmas vibe. But this is definitely worth a thought, of course you will be one of the first to know should it happen in the future.

And now before i lose your attention, here is…

How to Make Roasted Chestnuts

Buying: When buying the chestnuts, look for ones that have a shiny skin, are not cracked, look plump and are not lightweight. Avoid any with signs of mould.

And once purchased, store them in the fridge, then take them out a day before use. Only take out as much as you need because they are best eaten right after roasting.

Step 1: Soak the chestnuts in cold water for 1 hour. And lay them on a baking tray, flat side down. Cut across the rounded side of the chestnut, try not to cut through to the nut.

Step 2: Preheat the oven to 200°C/400 F and bake them for 15-17 minutes or until you see them pop open.

When out, wrap the roasted chestnuts in a kitchen cloth for a few minutes. This will make them easier to split open. Then serve.

Please give this roasted chestnuts post a thumbs up.

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Another nutty recipe you ought to try…

Candied almonds

Almonds slow-cooked in syrup resulting in toasted almonds with a caramelized sugar coating.

Homemade mulled wine is an absolute indulgent treat for someone who likes wine and sweet things. Well, that with a side of candied nuts. Well, that was one of the things most of us looked forward to once the Christmas markets popped up. And sad as it may be, with everything going on, it doesn’t mean we cannot make our hot wine at home.

Like carrot cake or chocolate chip cookies, this traditional German drink has countless variations. With each household claiming to make the absolute most smashing mulled wine there is! I believe this recipe to be quick and easy to make with simple ingredients that you probably have in your pantry.

How to Make Mulled Wine

Make a dry caramel first and when it is ready, take it off the stove to add 1 cup of wine. Then put the mixture back on the stove and stir until the sugar dissolves into the wine.

Why not add all the wine instead of just a cup? Because if you did, all the alcohol would evaporate. So we ‘sacrifice’ that 1 cup to simmer for 5 minutes with the added oranges and spices to merge flavors.

Then pour in the rest of the wine just until it is hot enough then we yank it off the stove. Thereafter, pour in the rest of the wine and serve with an alternative shot of rum or other hard liquor.

The type of wine you use will depend on your budget and taste. I used Chianti because I don’t think you need a higher quality wine since you will be adding ingredients to it. So I hope you give making mulled wine at home tonight a go and let me know how it went!

Homemade mulled wine tip

Wine: One tip before I go. In case you are wondering which is the best wine for homemade mulled wine? I suggest you go for a full-bodied fruity wine.

More alcohol please: Do not shy away from adding a few shots of your favorite brandy (add this when you put all the other ingredients in the pot) to the mulled wine

Happy toasting!

Please give the homemade mulled wine a thumbs up below.

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Homemade mulled wine

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Appetiser – German

By Angela – Serves: 4

Prep Time: 1 minute – Cooking Time: 13 minutes – Total Time: 14 minutes

Nothing like homemade mulled wine to warm up your winter nights. Made with oranges and spices to tease and please your tastebuds while heating you up.

Ingredients

• 750ml dry red wine
• 65g (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
• 1 orange
• 2 slices of lemon
• 3 cardamom pods
• 6 black peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 star anise

Instructions

1

Cut the orange into thick slices

2

Tip the sugar into a stainless steel pan over low heat and caramelize (takes about 5 minutes)

3

When it turns into a light amber color, take the pan off the stove and carefully (as it will spatter and bubble over) pour in 1 cup of wine into it. Put the pan back on the stove over low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.

4

Add the oranges, lemon, and spices to the wine mixture and let simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes. Pour in the rest of the wine and once it is all hot (about 3 minutes) take it off the stove and pour through a fine-mesh strainer.

5

You can serve the wine as it is, or have a bottle of good rum or brandy handy so your guests can add a shot to their mulled wine.

Want some accompaniment for that warming mulled wine? Make some:

Candied almonds

Almonds slow-cooked in syrup resulting in toasted almonds with a caramelized sugar coating.

I ate sacks and sacks of kale growing up. Looking back now, it would have been inconceivable to imagine making chips out of this super-healthy veg. But it’s been a few years now that kale has been one of the star veggies we toss in our smoothies, salads, and even pizza. Then kale chips became a thing and here we are. 

Serve the chips with thin slices of Grana Padano which is nutty and mild to contrast the sharp, charred kale chips flavor. And balance all that with a fizzy and refreshing non-alcoholic aperitif like cedrata with sweet and citrusy notes.

How to Make Simple Oven-baked Kale Chips

Separate the stem from the kale leaves.

Properly wash the leaves then lay them on a clean and dry kitchen cloth. Roll that up into a log and gently press to soak up the excess water or just pat.

I then put the kale into a spacious bowl and drizzle olive oil over it, and with my hands – try to coat the leaves with the oil. I put the oil first to make it easier for the cheese to stick to the kale. 

After the kale is nicely lathered, sprinkle in the cheese. If adding salt, let it be just a pinch as Parmigiano is already salty.

If you have quite a bit of kale to bake I would suggest using more than one oven tray if possible. Because you absolutely do not want to pack them up too close to each other as this will lengthen the baking time.

Bake at 100°C for 50 minutes or until all are crisp. Turn the leaves and rotate the oven racks in case you are baking on more than one, every 30 minutes. Take out the crisp kale chips as you wait for the rest to dry up.

What to do with kale stems instead of discarding them? Steam and sauté, then add to veggie curries or warm salads. Add to soups for texture.

Want some more veggie chip ideas?

Simple homemade crispy sweet potato chips

Please give the Kale chips with Parmigiano a thumbs up below.

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Kale chips with Parmigiano

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Snack – International

By Angela – Serves: 2-3

Prep Time: 10 minutes – Cooking Time: 50 minutes – Total Time: 1 hour

Oven-baked kale chips flavored with Parmigiano Reggiano

Ingredients

• 1 bundle of kale
• 30g grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• Olive oil
• Salt (optional)

Instructions

1

Preheat the oven to 100°C / 212°F

2

Separate the kale stem from the leaves and properly wash the leaves by soaking in cold water to loosen any residue then sieve.

3

Lay the kale on a dry kitchen cloth and lay another cloth over the leaves. Gently press to soak up the water.

4

Transfer the leaves onto a wide bowl and drizzle 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil. Using your hands, gently coat the leaves with the oil then sprinkle the Parmigiano over the kale and try to get as much of it evenly on all the leaves.

5

Tip the leaves onto a baking tray, ensuring they are evenly spread and not overlapping or heaped on top of each other.

6

Bake for 50 minutes. Turn the leaves after 25 minutes and if using more than one oven rack to bake- put the rack that was on the bottom on top and vice versa.

7

It will happen that some leaves crisp up before others so take those out as you go and just keep an eye on your leaves.

8

Store in an airtight container.

9

Happy grazing

Arancini with eggplants is what you just might obsess over after a few slices of parmigiana di melanzane. If you have made risotto before, arancini are just a few steps away. Simple and extremely filling. Yes, I have them down as appetizers but boy will those stuffed balls fill you up!

I first had these while on a trip to Sicily, right after that first bite, I could not understand why I never made the connection. Why my arancini-loving self had not thought of coupling fried diced eggplants with a simple tomato-basil sauce to arborio rice, Parmigiano Reggiano, and stuffing them with buffalo mozzarella. To finally seal it all in with breadcrumb coating.

I love making these arancini because I am a little crazy about eggplants. And, I have my ‘hand me something fried will you?!” moments. This obsession started sometime between when I developed strong feelings following scoop/spread after scoop/spread of babaganoush and a few slices into parmigiana di melanzane.

Allow me to let you in on a little secret; parmigiana nicely tucked between a crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside block of ciabatta; has a way of crawling into your heart, carving a space for itself and never leaving! And arancini with eggplants?

Well, that’s where you lose your breath, which will happen right about after the first bite. As your nose is filled with a wave of floral and sweet aroma and your tongue wrestles to make sense of why it tastes so good! No, your hips won’t thank you but what’re 3-4 arancini if you have been good the rest of the week right? So indulge yourself, dear reader!

I know it’s a lot to handle. I mean the guilt and calories that follow each deliciously sinful bite! However, once you do take that first bite there is no turning back. The haunting scent of lovingly stirred rice with Parmigiano Reggiano, fresh basil and fried eggplants will never leave you.

And if you end up having dreams about this stuff then that’s okay too- I won’t blame you. Just don’t forget to tell me about it.

Arancini with Eggplants Ingredients

Tomato: I use passata (tomato purée), for this recipe – specifically Mutti brand (this is not a sponsored post, I just love their stuff). This passata didn’t need long to reduce, plus it has a mild sweet taste that I didn’t want to mess with. However, in case you use canned tomato, blend it to a purée, and sieve to remove the seeds. Reducing the sauce might take a few more minutes as it may be of a lighter consistency than a passata. I suggest you reduce it a further 2-3 minutes.

Rice: Arborio rice, I have yet to use any other type for this recipe, but in case i do you will be the first one I tell.

Cheese: I use Parmigiano Reggiano for the punch it brings. You can use parmesan however I would shy away from grana for this recipe.

Vegetable stock: I used a vegetable stock pot, however, if you have 1 liter of vegetable stock, you can use that instead.

How To Make Arancini with Eggplants?

Step 1: Prepare the tomato sauce, this will take about 5 minutes depending on the type of sauce or canned product you use. Read on ‘tomatoes’ above. Season the sauce well to avoid the arancini being bland, however not too much salt because you will be adding Parmigiano to the rice.

Step 2. Make the risotto: this takes approximately 20 minutes. What you want is for the rice not to be overcooked. It should be ready to eat and still maintain its shape. When the risotto is done, take it off the fire and stir in the Parmigiano.

Step 3. I like to cook more than one ingredient simultaneously to save time. This is why I fry the eggplants as the risotto boils away. Alternatively, you can make the risotto first and leave it to cool as you prepare the rest of the ingredients. There’s a chance that some pieces (mostly consisting of the skin) of eggplant may be a little tough. So pick them out and toss them, then proceed with the rest.

Step 4. And now you bring it all together by first stirring the eggplants into the rice and then mixing in the tomato-basil sauce. It’s crucial to do a final taste just to make sure it’s well-seasoned. Then proceed to fill with the mozzarella and breading. Finish by frying to a nice golden brown.

Tips to remember:

1. Keep your vegetable stock/ water hot at all times to maintain the temperature of the rice as it cooks.

2. After pouring in the initial ladlefuls of water/vegetable stock into the rice and it reduces, you need to now add a ladleful at a time. This is to avoid you having more water than need be by the time the rice is ready.

3. Fry the eggplants to a nice light golden brown and not more. A tell that they are good to go is when they become light and float on the oil. Lay the cooked eggplants on a kitchen paper towel without heaping them over each other for the excess oil to get soaked up from all the eggplants. This also ensures that they are not soggy.

4. It’s absolutely crucial that the rice cool completely before you move on to mixing and filling with the rest of the ingredients.

5. After you have filled the rice mixture with mozzarella, squeeze the rice ball between your hands- with one hand over the other. If there are any pockets of cheese sticking out just push them back in and patch them with the rice.

Storage:

Keep leftovers in the fridge for 2 days maximum. Packs well for lunch. Just microwave them until they’re piping hot, so the cheese inside is nice and melted.

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Other Arancini Recipes You Might Love

Arancini with Spinach

What you will love about this arancini is the intense nutty Parmigiano Reggiano, the mild spinach, and the ‘earthy’ smoked mozzarella. The combination, in my opinion, could not be any more perfect! It is as simple as these arancini with eggplants. With the bonus of you being able to do a happy dance from eating veg.

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Arancini with eggplants

(+30 rating, 6 votes)

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Appetiser – Italian

By Angela – Serves: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes – Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 minutes – Total Time: 2 hours

Arancini with eggplants is made with arborio rice stirred through with Parmigiano Reggiano. A simple tomato and basil sauce, fried diced eggplants, and buffalo mozzarella.

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 100ml passata
• Fresh basil leaves
• 500g eggplant
• Sunflower oil (enough to deep fry)
• 150g arborio rice
• 2 tbsp finely diced brown onion
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 liter of vegetable stock/ water
• 25g grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 125g buffalo mozzarella
• 1 cup Plain flour
• 2 small eggs
• 1 1/2 cups of plain bread crumbs
• Salt and black pepper

Instructions

Sauce

1

Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a non-stick saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour in the Passata and a pinch of salt, stir through with the oil and reduce the heat to low. Leave to reduce for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. When it's ready, take it off the fire, add in 5 basil leaves. Stir through, cover, and leave to infuse as it cools. In the meantime, prepare the rice.

2

Bring the vegetable stock (if using) or water to a boil and keep hot.

Rice

3

Heat 4 tbsp of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed, non-stick frying pan over high heat. Toss in the onions and continuously stir to avoid burning until the onions are translucent then add in the rice. Let that toast for about 1-2 minutes then pour in the wine (if the onions start to brown before 2 minutes, add the wine immediately as you do not want the onions to brown) and stir until it evaporates.

4

If using vegetable stock, you can pour in a few ladlefuls over the rice. Otherwise, if using a vegetable stockpot, add it together with a few ladlefuls of hot water to the rice and stir until the stockpot is dissolved. Let the rice cook for 20 minutes stirring occasionally and adding water/stock when it runs low. Stop adding water after 18 minutes to avoid it being too watery, but in case you need more add some. When the rice is ready, take it off the fire and pour in the Parmigiano, stir through then add salt if need be, transfer the rice to a bowl or tray to cool completely.

Eggplants

5

Heat the oil in a fryer/ deep pot to 190 C, while it comes to the optimal temperature chop the eggplants to roughly the size of your thumbnail. Fry the eggplants in batches if need be for 5-7 minutes or until they are a nice light golden brown. Lay them over a kitchen paper towel ensuring they aren't heaped over each other but spaced out.

Bring it together

6

Roughly chop 3 large fresh basil leaves

7

All the ingredients should be cooled before mixing in. Start with adding the eggplants and half of the chopped basil to the rice, and finally the sauce. I would add some freshly grated black pepper in at this point too. Taste to make sure the seasoning is as you prefer.

8

Take a heaped tablespoon of rice, make a well and put in some basil and a cube of mozzarella. Cover with rice and firmly press before rolling it in your hand. Patch any mozzarella sticking out with some rice.

9

Proceed to flour, egg, and bread the rice balls. What I do is put the breadcrumbs in a bowl, and after the riceball is floured and coated in the egg I roll the rice ball in the breadcrumb by turning the bowl in an anticlockwise motion. This also helps in shaping the riceball and reducing the mess.

10

Heat the frying oil to 190°C / 374°F and fry each batch for about 4-5 minutes, flipping for even browning and frying. When each one turns brown all over, take them out. Remember the all the ingredients had already been cooked, this step is just to heat it all enough to melt the mozzarella and to fry the outside.

11

Lay the fried arancini on a kitchen paper towel to absorb excess oil, serve hot.

If it were any other day I might just uncaringly rip the bread apart! Then slightly drench it in some sweet and tangy balsamic vinegar, and wash it down with a red. However, we are going down another route. And if like me, you refuse to spend more than 10 minutes in the kitchen today. But need something to keep the hunger at bay without going overboard. Then that’s where this guilt-free tuna bruschetta comes in. Eh ehm, buckle up because this might just be the best bruschetta recipe you ever made!

It takes less than 5 minutes to prepare, making it one of the perfect go-to lazy meals which is also very filling.

How do you layer or top a bruschetta?

There is no one way. It is, in my opinion- the perfect canvas for fresh ingredients that don’t have to be cooked or messed with. Eh ehm, that does not mean I have not and will not top it with cooked ingredients. But I believe it works really well for when you want to celebrate one ingredient or a combination but still be able to taste each and every topping. Preferably with none overpowering the other.

"Bruschetta: perfect canvas for fresh ingredients".
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2 simple ways to make this bruschetta:

Hot!!!! Sometimes I’m in the mood for a little spice so I’ll drizzle some chilli oil over the bruschetta instead of plain olive oil. To make it: heat up the olive oil and toss in either 2 dried chillies, or 1 finely chopped fresh red eye chilli.

Alternatively, you can use chilli flakes. Leave to infuse, constantly turning for about 1-2 minutes- just don’t let them burn! Take it off the fire, sieve out the chilli. And finally, mix it with the tuna before adding any other ingredients. You could skip out on the cheese if using the spicy oil.

"Leftover bread? Make bruschetta, what else?!"
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Senza (without) mozzarella: Yap, sad but true- this will taste just as good or better without the cheese so don’t shy from ditching the milky goodness. I probably shouldn’t have said that.

Oh onions! Okay, so this ingredient always yields eyerolls and debates in my house. I like the intensity that red onions contribute but you can opt out if you are not a huge fan.

That said, it sadly feels like I have almost stripped down the entire recipe ingredients save for the tuna. If anything I might just as well call this a tuna and tomato bruschetta No, seriously the above are ways you can adjust the recipe but it wouldn’t hurt to try it with all the toppings first then edit next time.

I used yellowfin tuna for this recipe but another type I love to eat ‘fresh’ is albacore tuna steaks preserved with a little oil and sea salt!! Ahh my mouth waters at the thought of it, sadly it seems a lot of people share my love for this because they fly off the shelves!!!! So, if you cannot find some yellowfin tuna, use your favourite instead.

Please give the tuna bruschetta with tomato and mozzarella a thumbs up below.

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Other easy bruschetta recipes you might also love

Tomato and basil pesto bruschetta

“Grilled sourdough bread + basil pesto + beef tomato = moment of: “shut up and let me eat this without interruption!”

Tomato and feta bruschetta

“Bruschetta is the gift of an abundance of bread, sweet ripe tomatoes, good olive oil, peppery basil and salty feta cheese, do a happy dance and make this!!!”

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Tuna bruschetta with tomato and mozzarella

(+15 rating, 3 votes)

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Appetiser – Undefined

By My food memoirs – Serves: 3

Prep Time: 5 – Cooking Time: 0 minutes – Total Time: 5

Bruschetta with firm beef tomatoes, yellowfin tuna steak, thin red onion slices and milky mozzarella topped with dried oregano and a drizzle of olive oil.

Ingredients

• 240g (2 cans:drained) yellowfin tuna steak
• 125g fresh mozzarella
• Thin slices of red onion
• 1 Beef tomato
• Dried oregano
• Olive oil
• 1 loaf of white bread: sourdough or other

Instructions

1

Drain and tip the tuna into a large bowl then loosely split the steak into pieces

2

Cut the tomato and mozzarella into cubes and add to the tuna (you can remove the inside of the tomato if you don't like seeds)

3

Drizzle in 1 tsp of olive oil and a pinch of salt and black pepper.

4

Mix the toppings and set aside as you toast the bread

5

Cut the bread and lightly smear some olive oil on each side and lay on the grill until slightly toasted. Turn them to make sure each side is toasted before taking them out and keeping them in an upright position (as if leaning on each other). This will help the bread toughen up a bit and not start to sog up from the steam formed if they were laid flat immediately after grilling

6

After 2-3 minutes, set the bread slices on a serving late and evenly top with the tuna mixture. Drizzle 1 tsp of olive oil on each one. Finish with a sprinkle of oregano

7

Serve

Storage:

Not recommended, however, if you have leftover toppings you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge to be used no more than 24hrs later.

Fresh homemade basil pesto is like that friend who makes you feel like you don’t need any other type of friend. Why? Well, because they know when to tone it down and let someone else take the spotlight. And they can also step in and bring their A-game. It can be a fresh basil pesto recipe for pasta or you can slather over some old or fresh-ish hopefully good quality bread topped with sweet juicy but firm beef tomato for an unfortgetable basil pesto bruschetta. Mic drop!

"Basil pesto is like that friend who makes you feel like you don't need any other type of friend."
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And I have to say it feels good not having let the basil waste away to a sad limp and instead ground it while still in its freshness to this shaggy delicious basil pesto.

Some of you might ‘come after me’ for what I am about to propose. And that’s okay because this is where we talk frankly about what foods we like and don’t like. So, have you ever tried ditching garlic and pine nuts? Why did I do this? Well, because some people (‘I will not name any names- you know yourselves if you’re reading this’) apparently just can’t seem to digest the stuff (garlic) in its raw state.

"Before it turns into a sad limp, grind that fresh basil into this shaggy delectable pesto".
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While others just plain don’t like the taste of it. I fall into one of the categories which is why this recipe doesn’t have garlic. But that does not mean you shouldn’t toss one in your batch Oh, and the pine nuts weren’t included just because I didn’t have any on hand so freestyle it we did. And I’m not complaining.

Where else can you splurge your pesto?

Well, in a tomato and basil pesto bruschetta of course!!! Simple just cut a few slices off your favorite white bread, and toast on a grill smeared with a little olive oil. Then slather the good stuff topped with thick-ish slices of beef tomato.

How to Use Fresh Homemade Basil Pesto for Pasta Recipes

Craving a quick and simple pasta, with your homemade basil pesto? No need to heat the pesto. Why? Because the ‘good healthy bits’ in the oil waste away when you do.

Other Uses for Fresh Basil Pesto

When pasta gets boring; get even more creative and dollop a few teaspoons of pesto onto your salad. Better yet, toss the pesto with some steamed diced floury potatoes as a side to go with grilled chicken!

"Grilled sourdough bread + basil pesto + beef tomato = moment of: "shut up and let me eat this without interruption!"
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Just a second…

From time to time I like to forget I have a blender. Like now, I use a pestle and mortar instead. Coarse sea salt goes a long way in helping you crush the leaves without using excessive muscle!

Ingredients for Basil Pesto Sauce

To toast or not to toast the pine nuts? I don’t find that it makes much of a difference in the end result. So save yourself some time and just skip it. And while we are on that nut issue, and yes I acknowledge that many basil pesto recipes will call for using pine nuts- I have omitted using pine nuts when making pesto and it survived the taste test just fine.

"Who said basil pesto's only 'friend' was bruschetta?…
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Wash? Yes, should the basil have some grit on it then you have to. However: and this is a big one- you absolutely must wait until all the water on the leaves dry. So lay them on a clean kitchen towel until they are good and dripped :0

Ew… raw garlic: Yes I know, I feel your pain. You can toss this to the curb if you are not a fan. I find that the pesto tastes just as good. Some people just can’t stand the stuff so ….

How to Freeze Basil Pesto

In case you have some leftover basil pesto sauce, I would suggest that you blend the basil with all the other ingredients other than the Parmigiano and pecorino; then either freeze it in ice-cube trays (if you might want to portion and use it for a basil pesto bruschetta. Or put it in a zip-lock bag.

Storage

Layer the basil pesto with a little oil and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.

Please give the basil pesto a thumbs up below.

FOLLOW on: Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Youtube to know what’s fresh off the stove/oven. Or subscribe below to be notified of new posts by email.

Show Me More Bruschetta Recipes:

Zucchine alla Scapece Bruschetta

Zucchine alla scapece: Courgette/zucchini deep fried to a beautiful golden brown, tossed with fresh mint and a good splash of balsamic vinegar.

Tuna steak bruschetta with tomato, mozzarella and oregano

Easy bruschetta recipe with firm beef tomatoes, yellowfin tuna steak, thin red onion slices, and milky mozzarella topped with dried oregano and a drizzle of olive oil.

Print Recipe

Easy 3 ingredient Basil pesto

(+10 rating, 2 votes)

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Appetiser – Mediterranean

By My food memoirs – Serves: Makes 190g

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes, depends on your muscle power Total Time: 15 minutes

Pesto made with fresh aromatic and peppery basil leaves, plus heap after heap of grated nutty parmigiano reggiano, olive oil, pine nuts and salty pecorino!

Ingredients

• 100g Basil leaves
• 57g Parmigiano reggiano
• 20g Pecorino
• 30g Extra virgin olive oil
• A pinch of coarse sea salt

Instructions

1

Wash the basil leaves and lay them spaced out on a clean kitchen towel. Cover with another kitchen towel and gently press to soak up excess water. Alternatively line a bowl with the kitchen towel and toss the basil letting the water drip down to the towel.

2

Put the first batch of leaves in the mortar with a pinch of sea salt and begin grinding. When there is more room, add the rest of the basil and grind until they shrink to pieces.

3

Next, add in the parmigiano in 2 batches and mix well with the crushed basil before you incorporate the pecorino.

4

Taste as you mix to ensure it doesn't get too salty

5

Finally drizzle in 30ml of olive oil, the result should be a lumpy but not runny pesto

6

Store in an airtight container, flatten it with the back end of a spoon and pour some more olive oil ontop to form a layer over the pesto.

7

Keep in the fridge