Melanzane Grigliate

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Melanzane Grigliata (Italian grilled eggplant) - using Slipper Eggplants

Eggplant is like a sponge and soaks up an incredible amount of oil, so I prefer to brush it with oil and bake or grill it rather than fry it. If you have the barbecue fired up, you can cook the eggplant on it – otherwise bake it in the oven as I’m doing here. It’s worth making a large tray of this delicious melanzane grigliate as it has many uses beyond the antipasto platter. It’s great on a panino or bruschetta (especially with some Peperoni in Padella), can be tossed through pasta, layered into an eggplant Parmigiana, or served as a side dish with roast meat or poultry. There are two slightly different ways to make Italian baked or grilled eggplant, depending on whether you use the typical large globe eggplants or smaller finger eggplants (also sold as Lebanese eggplants or Japanese eggplants). I’ll explain both methods here; you can see me making melanzane grigliate with globe eggplants in the video below, while the photo above shows the version using finger eggplants. If you’re serving melanzane grigliate as a starter, pour a glass of full-bodied southern Italian varietal fiano with it, such as the one from Juniper Estate in Margaret River.

Serves 6 as part of an antipasti misti

Ingredients

For large globe eggplants

  • 1 large eggplant
  • Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
  • Salt flakes, to taste

For smaller finger eggplants

  • 6 slipper eggplants
  • Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
  • Salt flakes, to taste
Method

For large globe eggplants

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
  2. Cut eggplant into 5–10mm thick slices (¼–½″).
  3. Brush both sides with oil and lay them out in a single layer on a baking tray.
  4. Sprinkle generously with salt.
  5. Place in oven and cook for about 20 minutes, until well coloured.
  6. Then turn and cook for a further 20 minutes or so. Depending on the thickness of the slices, you may need to remove them in stages as the thinner ones will brown first, so check them frequently after about 10–15 minutes.
  7. Remove from oven tray to a wire rack to cool.
  8. Cover and refrigerate until needed, then return to room temperature before serving.

For smaller finger eggplants

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
  2. Brush a baking tray with oil.
  3. Cut eggplants in half lengthways.
  4. Cut a deep cross-hatch pattern into the cut surface of the eggplants, taking care not to cut all the way through. If they are very long, cut them in half crossways.
  5. Place them on the baking tray in a single layer, cut side up, and brush with oil.
  6. Sprinkle generously with salt.
  7. Place in oven and cook for 30–40 minutes, until well coloured. There’s no need to turn them over, but check them regularly after 30 minutes.
  8. Remove from oven tray to a wire rack to cool.
  9. Cover melanzane grigliate and refrigerate until needed, then return to room temperature before serving.
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Melanzane Grigliate

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What Other Travellers Say

Diane (Cremorne Point, NSW, Aus)
Diane (Cremorne Point, NSW, Aus)
Relaxed, organised and well-paced – a wonderful bespoke small group tour, starting in Rome, then travelling down the Amalfi Coast to stay at a family estate where we were treated like old friends. This tour included some hidden gems too, notably on our way to Matera, a fascinating town built into the side of a mountain. We finished with Naples and Pompeii – with plenty of wine and more new tastes. Roberta is a specialist and very personable as she hosts and explains every detail of the food and wine experience.
Belinda (Balmain, NSW, Aus)
Belinda (Balmain, NSW, Aus)
I’ve been on three of Roberta’s food and wine tours so far and each one has been an amazing well-organised experience. From historic Rome and Pompeii to the spectacular Amalfi Coast, remarkable Venice and the charming villages of Switzerland, each tour offers something special. Then there’s the food in fabulous places where you can truly eat like a local. I highly recommend Roberta’s tours to anyone who wants to discover inspired travel through great food, wine and company. I’m already looking forward to the next one!
Michael (Cremorne, NSW, Aus)
Michael (Cremorne, NSW, Aus)
Starting in Rome then spending time on the Amalfi Coast and further south before heading back to Rome for the last couple of days made for a nice ‘round trip’. Roberta’s choice of eateries was excellent with some very enjoyable meals – and a nice mix of other activities, like vineyard visits, between meals. Everything was very well organised: transport, nice hotels in close proximity to most activities, and a relaxed pace with enough time to follow your nose if that took your fancy. A very worthwhile tour and I’m already looking forward to another!
Di (Manly, NSW, Aus)
Di (Manly, NSW, Aus)
I absolutely recommend Roberta’s Southern Italy tour! We’ve always been independent travellers so were a little apprehensive – by day 2 we knew we’d made a great decision! Roberta knows people and places far from the tourist trail so we visited wineries where we were always invited for lunch as well as wine-tasting, a family lemon grove high on the Amalfi Coast and a 3rd generation cheesemaker. We stayed in a stunning cave hotel in Matera and a gorgeous family hotel in Scala – and book-ended the tour with the vibrancy of Rome. So many highlights, such a brilliant experience. We will do another tour with Roberta.
Neville (St Ives, NSW, Aus)
Neville (St Ives, NSW, Aus)
We had an absolutely fantastic time in Southern Italy and Rome with Roberta. Incredible food and wine experiences combined with authentic cultural encounters, fascinating history and breathtaking scenery. From the charming streets of Trastevere and the stunning Amalfi Coast to Matera, Pompeii and the hidden gems of Basilicata, every day brought something memorable. Meeting local winemakers, farmers, chefs and families who welcomed us with genuine warmth made this trip exceptional. Roberta's passion for Italy, attention to detail, warmth, knowledge and care for every guest made the experience unforgettable. We will gladly travel with Roberta again.
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