TABELIA

AUTHENTIC RECIPE

Melanzane alla GrigliaGrilled Eggplant with Mint

Grilled Eggplant with Mint
Difficulty★★☆☆☆ Prep0 min Cook12 min Rest1 hr 10 min servings4

A Sicilian summer vegetable dish of eggplant grilled over high heat and finished with olive oil, garlic and mint.

Recipe developed and reviewed by the Tabelia Editorial TeamUpdated
100/ 100

AUTHENTICITY SCORE

Authenticity Score

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Ingredients (4 servings)

  • EggplantsThickly sliced lengthwise.4 eggplants
  • GarlicFinely chopped.1 clove
  • MintTorn.12 leaves
  • White wine vinegar15 ml
  • Extra virgin olive oil70 ml
  • Salt6 g

Method

125 min

Prepare the eggplant

  • 1 Cut 4 eggplants into thick lengthwise slices, sprinkle with 3g salt and leave for 20 minutes.
  • 2 Finely chop 1 garlic clove.
  • 3 Tear 12 mint leaves.
  • 4 Wipe away the moisture released by the eggplant.
212 min

Grill

  • 1 Heat a grill until very hot and cook the eggplant on both sides.
  • 2 Remove when marked by the grill and the centers are soft and yield to pressure.
345 min

Marinate

  • 1 Layer the eggplant, garlic, mint, 15ml white wine vinegar, 70ml extra virgin olive oil and 3g salt in a storage container.

Ready when

Leave for 45 minutes; the dish is ready when the oil and mint aroma have infused the eggplant.

A view of Palermo, Sicilia
Palermo, SiciliaA view of Italy Photo: Benjamín Núñez González · CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized; display cropped)

About this dish

Melanzane alla griglia is a side dish representative of Sicily’s summer vegetables. When markets are piled high with eggplants, it has long been enjoyed as a light accompaniment to fish or as part of an appetizer platter.

Sicily has many eggplant dishes, and marinated grilled eggplant is a household staple alongside caponata and parmigiana. The mint brings a cooling fragrance well suited to the hot island’s tables.

It still appears on appetizer platters and beside fish dishes. Because it can be made ahead, it is useful for summer lunches and meals with guests.

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