Arrived here starving? Then what are you doing here, go to the kitchen. But if that little rumble in your stomach is telling you “I really fancy aubergines today”, you've understood that Mamù's blog is a source of sacred inspiration (amen). Let these five aubergine recipe ideas tempt you, then head to the stove.
If this were one big lunch (or dinner, depending on when you're reading), we'd tell you you're about to start with a light starter of aubergine rolls, move on to a taste of pasta alla Norma and finally treat yourself to a choice of mains: fritters, cordon bleu and parmigiana. All, as you'll have guessed by now, made with aubergines.
Starter idea: aubergine rolls
If you roll food up and put it inside other food, we know we can basically trust you. Jokes aside, a starter idea to win over your friends' hearts and palates (and not only theirs) could be this: aubergine rolls filled with ham and cheese. Maybe with a little tomato sauce, cooked in the pan: what do you think? A simple, quick dish, tasty and moreish, plus all the other delicious adjectives we use here to convince you. One recommendation, should you try this recipe: make very generous portions. Aubergine rolls tend to disappear from the table and reappear in your tummy.
Use our baking tray to make them.
Pasta idea: pasta alla Norma
If you'd rather go straight for your guests' stomachs, treat them to a delicious pasta alla Norma. A traditional Sicilian dish whose name is inspired by the opera by composer Vincenzo Bellini. For the pasta, choose penne, fusilli or sedani rigati. The sauce must be made with fresh tomatoes and the aubergines must be fried. Also essential: garlic, fresh basil leaves and grated ricotta salata added to the finished dish. Go and win them all over.
You can fry the aubergines in our basket fryer.
The recipe: pasta alla Norma
Ingredients for 4 people:
- 320 g penne rigate
- 600 g aubergines (about 2)
- 600 g ripe tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 80 g grated ricotta salata
- Fresh basil to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Seed oil for frying
- Salt to taste
Method:
- Cut the aubergines into cubes or slices, sprinkle with salt and leave them in a colander for 30 minutes, then pat dry with kitchen paper.
- Fry the aubergines in plenty of hot seed oil until golden and drain on kitchen paper.
- In a frying pan, gently fry the garlic in a little extra virgin olive oil, add the chopped tomatoes, season with salt and cook for 15 minutes over medium heat; add a few basil leaves at the end.
- Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water and drain it al dente.
- Toss the pasta in the sauce, add half the fried aubergines and stir.
- Plate up and finish with the remaining aubergines, plenty of grated ricotta salata and fresh basil.
Main course idea: aubergine and courgette fritters
Moving on to mains, a classic but tasty idea is aubergine and courgette fritters. We've talked about them before, when we shared the recipe in detail. So maybe have a read of that recipe and we won't repeat ourselves: you'll find it here!
Main course idea: aubergine parmigiana
The queen of aubergine mains is without doubt aubergine parmigiana, perhaps with the slices grilled in our grill pan. That makes it a lighter but equally tasty version. We've listed it as a main, but it can also be served as a one-dish meal, hot or at room temperature.
Main course idea: aubergine cordon bleu
Our last idea is a twist on the classic cordon bleu. What do you mean, you don't know what cordon bleu is? Maybe you pronounce it “Gordon Blay”, like a Hollywood actor? Anyway, it's a breaded cutlet (chicken or turkey) stuffed with ham and cheese. Our suggestion is to replace the chicken or turkey with slices of aubergine, keeping the ham and adding provola (smoked, perhaps) and a pinch of basil. A double coating of flour and breadcrumbs gives it that thick, crunchy, delicious crust that will win over even the most suspicious palates.
These are our ideas: now it's your turn to put them into practice!
If you'd like more delicious recipes, you might enjoy our baked lasagna with ragù and béchamel recipe!
