Rose Shaped Eggplant Parmigiana

Let's give a new shape to the traditional Italian eggplant Parmesan!

This rose shaped appetizer is made with thin slices of eggplant rolled in buttery pastry crust, 

filled with melted mozzarella cheese and garlicky tomato sauce,

a sprinkle of oregano flakes and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Finally, here it is! I know many of you have been waiting for this. A savory variation of my so-talked-about rose shaped apple dessert!!
After the rave reviews and the many requests, I finally came up with something deliciously savory, vegetarian and quite healthy. And (of course!) pretty and elegant, shaped like a rose. Something  you will want to try as soon as you see how easy it is to prepare. This is going to be a sure hit at your next party.
This recipe is just as easy as the apple roses', but made with scrumptiously savory Mediterranean ingredients. All you have to do is spread tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese on strips of puff pastry. Place the eggplant slices on the strips, sprinkle with oregano flakes and garlic infused olive oil. Roll up the roses and bake. It's so much fun looking at these roses come alive right under your eyes!
When ready, you might thinks that these eggplant Parmesan roses are too pretty to be eaten. Well... think again! When the amazing aroma coming from your oven hits your nostrils, you will not be able to resist.
So, ready for this recipe?!? Hold on tight, and start taking notes so you can head right to the store and get what you need. My only suggestion: make sure you bake enough for everybody!

Buon appetito!

Ingredients to make 6 roses:                                 Printable Recipe

• 1 medium eggplant (about 12 oz, 340 gr)
• 1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed
• 1 cup of crushed tomatoes (I like San Marzano)
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• a couple of leaves of fresh basil
• 6 tablespoons of shredded mozzarella
• oregano flakes
• garlic infused olive oil (optional)
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top
• salt

Preparation time: 20 minutes to prepare, plus 45 minutes to bake
Directions:
1. Thaw the puff pastry if you haven't done so. It should be outside the freezer for 20-30 minutes.
Prepare the tomato sauce: in a small pan, saute' for one minute the crushed garlic clove with one tablespoon of olive oil. Add the crushed tomatoes and salt to taste. Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes. Add the basil leaves after about five minutes. Turn off the heat when ready.

2. Peel the eggplant and slice as this as you can. Cut the slices in half. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with garlic infused olive oil, if you have it, or regular extra virgin olive oil.

3. Unwrap the puff pastry (9 in x 9 in) over a clean and lightly floured counter.  Using a rolling pin stretch the dough a little, in one direction, trying to keep it in a rectangular shape. Cut the dough in 6 strips, about 2 in x 9 in (5 cm x 22 cm).

4. Preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C). Spread about one tablespoon of tomato sauce on each strip.

5. Sprinkle each strip with about one tablespoon of shredded mozzarella .

6. Place the eggplant slices as shown in the picture.

7. Sprinkle with oregano.

8. Fold up the bottom of the dough.

9. Carefully roll, seal the edge and place in a silicone muffin cup. No greasing is needed for silicone muffin mold. Make sure to spray regular muffin tin.

10. Do the same steps for the other 5 strips. Bake for about 40-45 minutes,on the lower rack. Check after the first 30 minutes. If the top of the eggplant slices are starting to burn, cover with aluminum foil for the remaining of the time.

Note: Before removing from the oven, make sure the pastry is fully cooked on the inside.
11. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Buon appetito!

Traditional Italian Spaghetti Aglio, Olio and Peperoncino

Spaghetti drizzled with hot and garlic-infused olive oil. 

A classic Italian dish, so simple and yet so delicious.

The classic Italian spaghetti aglio, olio and peperoncino (garlic, oil and hot peppers) is the quickest and easiest pasta you can possibly prepare.
And it's one of my family's favorite. It's a great recipe for all those occasions when time is of essence: the kids are starving and begging for food. Or also when the fridge is mostly empty, and there is no time for a run to the grocery store.This pasta takes no more than 15 minutes from start to finish. And it's made with very simple and basic ingredients which I always have available in my kitchen.
To make this recipe a success you need a good quality extra virgin olive oil, fresh parsley (better if the flat, Italian type) and hot peperoncini, which are those tiny, dry, and extremely spicy red peppers. The fruity flavor of the olive oil is complemented by the spicy and nutty taste of garlic and peperoncino. And the chopped parsley, sprinkled over the pasta at the end, balances all the flavors and adds freshness to this typical Italian dish. As I said: so simple, yet so delicious!
Buon appetito!

Ingredients: serving 4 people

• 3 garlic cloves
• 3 peperoncini (dry hot peppers)
• a small bunch of fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 4-5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 12 oz of spaghetti pasta (thin or angel hair)

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When it boils, cook the spaghetti following the time direction on the box. Make sure to cook the pasta al dente, so my suggestion is to set the timer for one minute less than indicated on the box. Taste the pasta before draining.
2. Saute' the garlic cut in slices with the peperoncino broken in pieces for a couple of minutes in the olive oil. Turn off the heat once the garlic is slightly golden.

3. Drain the spaghetti. Drizzle with the olive oil infused with the garlic. You can remove the garlic and peperoncino if you prefer, or leave it with the pasta, for a bolder flavor. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Enjoy!