Eggplant & Anchovy Crostini
I have returned to my obsession with eggplant on this recipe. My boyfriend’s mother recently made this roasted eggplant dip that blew my mind, and the best part about it was the simplicity of it. That’s the thing about eggplant I love… the flavor is so amazing you don’t need to do much to create something really yummy with it. I have also have been craving anchovies lately…. like every day… it’s weird I know… but lately I have been getting introduced to ingredients I never ate or cooked with growing up and my whole palette is changing, and I love it!! (Excuse my pictures on this one… they tasted so good we ended up eating almost all of them by the time I realized I hadn’t taken pictures yet, then food coma ensued and I had a hard time concentrating). 🙂
These crostinis make the perfect appetizer… the eggplant was so light and sweet, topped with the salty anchovies and cheese…. it was melt in your mouth amazing. I know what some of you are thinking… anchovies – EW but noooo!!! Just trust me on this one… the flavor combinations work so well your guests will be begging for more!
Ingredients
- 3 small Japanese eggplants, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and peeled in strips
- 2 tbsp. minced onion
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 red pepper, roasted on stove top
- 1/4 parsley, minced
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- salt and pepper, to taste
- Spanish anchovies
- olive oil for drizzling on parchment paper
- 2 tbsp. olive oil to pour into eggplant mixture
- t tbsp. Tzfatit cheese or feta cheese
- 1 small tomato, grated
- 1 baguette, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Instructions
- Begin by peeling the eggplant in strips, by this i mean peel a strip leave a strip and so on. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and then parchment paper. Spread olive oil on the parchment paper and sprinkle with salt. Place the cut pieces of eggplant on the parchment paper and drizzle again with olive oil and salt. Bake in the oven for about 18 minutes, until the bottoms of the eggplant are nice and brown. Remove eggplant, place it in a bowl, and mash with a fork or potato masher.
- Roast the red pepper on the stove top by placing a fork in one end and turning it over the fire until it has a nice char around it. Peel the outside of the pepper off and then dice it and place in the bowl with the eggplant and the rest of the ingredients + remaining 2 tbsp. olive oil. Mix well and adjust seasoning, you may need more salt.
- Lay out baguette pieces and top first with eggplant, then an anchovy, and sprinkle a touch of cheese on top. Enjoy!
ANCHOVIES! I love them….the forgetten “chicken of the sea” – this looks great Lizzy and I’ll be trying to recreate this one this week…simply LOVE your blog!
Oh yes! I’m thrilled you are back on the eggplant! I love the inspiration I get from your eggplant recipes. I love eggplant but tend to be boring w/ it only using it in salads and eggplant parm! This looks awesome, thanks so much for sharing the recipe w/ us.
You are too sweet Christine thank you!!!! Yes eggplant inspires me too 🙂 so much you can do just gotta get creative 🙂 Thank you!!!
I love eggplant, this dip sounds so good!
I don’t blame you for eating them all before you had a chance to take the photos. These crostinis look amazing.
i have tons of garden eggplant…can’t wait to try this