Eggplant, Tomato, and Pesto Stack
A elegant layered dish featuring roasted eggplant slices topped with homemade walnut-basil pesto, fresh heirloom tomatoes, and melted mozzarella. This Mediterranean-inspired stack combines fresh ingredients for a delicious vegetarian main course.
Ingredients
- •⅓ cup walnuts
- •2 cups fresh basil leaves
- •3 cloves garlic
- •½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- •½ cup grated Parmesan
- •1 large eggplant
- •1 teaspoon sea salt
- •2 large heirloom tomatoes
- •4 slices fresh mozzarella
- •1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
In a food processor, pulse 1/2 cup walnuts until finely chopped. Add 2 cups basil and garlic, and pulse while slowly adding 1/2 cup oil, scraping down sides as needed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add Parmesan; season with salt and black pepper; process until pesto is well combined. Heat oven to 400°F. Brush eggplant slices with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with sea salt; roast on a baking sheet, turning once, until tender and golden, 20 minutes. Top each with 1 tablespoon pesto. Alternately layer 2 eggplant slices, 2 tomato slices and 1 slice mozzarella. (Refrigerate any remaining pesto for another use.) Divide balsamic vinegar, remaining 2 tablespoons walnuts and basil leaves among stacks.
35 min
