Starters
Marinated aubergines as Antipasti
Salting, roasting, marinating: the classic southern Italian method. Four hours of marinating, then one week in the fridge.
Method
- Wash the aubergines, remove the stem end and cut into even slices 0.5–1 cm thick.
- Salt the slices generously and leave for 10–30 minutes, then rinse briefly and pat thoroughly dry with kitchen paper.
- Roast in the oven at 220–250 °C for about 20 minutes, turning after 10 minutes. The texture should be soft, not mushy. It works just as well on the grill, with a light smoky aroma.
- Make the marinade: whisk olive oil and vinegar vigorously in a 5:1 ratio, add the chopped herbs and garlic slices and let it rest briefly.
- Place the aubergines in the marinade and leave for at least 4 hours.
- Arrange them in tightly packed layers in clean jars, cover completely with oil and place a small acid-resistant weight on top. They keep for one week in the fridge.
Minnelea products for this recipe
The preserves used in this recipe.
Salting before cooking is not an optional step: it draws out water so the oil later clings and the slices do not become soggy. Those who like it raw know the Sicilian method - 4 mm thin strips, covered with coarse salt and weighted down cold for 24 hours, then squeezed and mixed with vinegar. A completely different texture, crisp instead of velvety.