Tomato-Eggplant Tortino
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon minced parsley
About 1 pound eggplant (2 to 2 1/2 in. wide)
About 1 1/2 pounds firm-ripe yellow tomatoes (2 to
2 1/2 in. wide)
About 3/4 pound firm-ripe red tomatoes (2 to 2 1/2
in. wide)
About 3/4 pound fresh mozzarella or fresh chèvre
(goat) cheese (2 to 2 1/2 in. wide)
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Thyme, basil, or parsley sprigs
1. Combine oil and minced thyme, basil, and
parsley.
2. Trim eggplant ends and discard. Rinse eggplant,
cut into 24 equal rounds, and brush lightly with some of the herb oil.
3. Rinse and core tomatoes, then trim thin slices
off tops and bottoms. Cut yellow tomatoes into 24 equal rounds; cut red
tomatoes into 12 equal rounds.
4. Cut cheese into 12 equal rounds.
5. Lay tomato slices in a 10- by 15-inch pan.
Drizzle with herb oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper
6. Lightly oil a barbecue grill over a solid bed of
medium-hot coals or medium-high heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand at
grill level only 3 to 4 seconds). Lay eggplant on grill; close lid on gas
barbecue. Cook eggplant, turning once, until soft when pressed, 5 to 7 minutes
total. Let cool.
7. For each tortino, stack 1 slice each yellow
tomato, eggplant, mozzarella, and red tomato, then top with 1 more slice each
eggplant and yellow tomato. Set stacks on a platter. Reserve 2 teaspoons of pan
juices from tomatoes; use remainder in other salads.
8. In a 2- to 3-quart pan over high heat, boil
vinegar until reduced to 2 tablespoons, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring as it nears
the end of cooking.
9. Mix the reserved tomato juices with vinegar and
drizzle over tortinos. Garnish with thyme sprigs.
Yield 12 servings
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