Eggplant Canapés with Goat Cheese and Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 piece Eggplant (sliced into rounds about 1 cm thick)
• 100 g Fresh goat cheese (slices)
• 30 g Grated cheese (parmesan or gruyère) (for gratin)
• 30 g Grated celery (to add crunch)
• 150 g Crushed tomatoes (canned or fresh)
• 2 pieces Shallots (thinly sliced)
• 2 pieces Garlic cloves (grated)
• 8 pieces Cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
• 2 tbsp Sunflower seeds (for crunch)
• 3 tbsp Olive oil (for brushing and cooking)
• 1 tbsp Sugar (balance acidity)
• to taste Salt (fine salt)
• to taste Black pepper (ground pepper)
• 1 tbsp Dried thyme (or fresh thyme)
• a few Fresh basil leaves (for sauce and garnish)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 200°C.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 200°C

2. Prepare the vegetables and cheese

   Cut the eggplant into rounds about 1 cm thick, thinly slice the shallots, chop the basil, grate the garlic cloves and halve the cherry tomatoes.

   Time: PT10M

3. Initial cooking of the eggplant

   Arrange the eggplant rounds on a baking sheet, brush with olive oil, lightly sprinkle with salt and bake for 10 minutes until tender.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 200°C

4. Prepare the tomato sauce

   In a saucepan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil, sauté the shallots for 3 minutes until golden, add the grated garlic for 30 seconds, then the crushed tomatoes, pepper, thyme, sugar, basil leaves and salt. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

   Time: PT13M

5. Assemble the canapés

   Remove the eggplant rounds from the oven, spoon tomato sauce over each slice, place a slice of fresh goat cheese, sprinkle with grated cheese, grated celery and sunflower seeds.

   Time: PT5M

6. Melt the cheese

   Return the sheet to the oven for 1 minute to melt the cheese and lightly brown the top.

   Time: PT1M

   Temperature: 200°C

7. Garnish and serve

   Arrange the cherry tomato halves and a few fresh basil leaves on each canapé, then serve immediately.

   Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

180

Protein

6 g

Carbohydrates

12 g

Fat

12 g

Fiber

4 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Eggplant: zucchini
• Instead of Fresh goat cheese: feta, sheep cheese
• Instead of Grated cheese (parmesan or gruyère): pecorino, grated gruyère
• Instead of Grated celery: grated carrots
• Instead of Crushed tomatoes: homemade tomato sauce
• Instead of Shallots: red onion
• Instead of Garlic cloves: garlic powder
• Instead of Cherry tomatoes: regular tomatoes
• Instead of Sunflower seeds: sesame seeds
• Instead of Olive oil: sunflower oil
• Instead of Sugar: honey
• Instead of Salt: sea salt
• Instead of Black pepper: white pepper
• Instead of Dried thyme: oregano
• Instead of Fresh basil leaves: dried basil

Equipment Needed

• Oven
• Baking sheet
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Cheese grater
• Medium saucepan
• Wooden spoon
• Spatula
• Mixing bowl (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Initial cooking of the eggplant until tender
• Simmer the tomato sauce to develop flavors
• Melt the cheese without burning during the final oven step

Chef Tips from the Video

• Lightly drizzle olive oil over the rounds before cooking to achieve a nice golden color
• Use fresh basil just before serving for optimal aroma
• Season the eggplant rounds with salt for 10 minutes, then pat them dry to remove bitterness.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the canapés in an airtight container, cover with aluminum foil. Consume within 2 days.

Freezer: Not recommended, the eggplant loses its texture.

Room temperature: Can stay at room temperature up to 2 hours, then refrigerate.

Make-Ahead Tips

• The tomato sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead and reheated before assembly
• The eggplant rounds can be cooked ahead of time and quickly reheated in the oven.