Aubergine Roll

This is a delightful refreshing starter. You will need

- 1 Aubergine
- Crescenza cheese
- rucola lettuce

Stracchino is a fresh Italian cheese which I have not found, unfortunately, outside this country. I suggest that in absence of it you use a soft goat cheese or a simple cream cheese. The result will change but it will be as satisfactory.

1. La' . Cut the aubergine in thin slices about 5/6 mm thick. For this recipe you need to grill the aubergine, you can either do it directly on the grill or in absence of an open fire you can heat up a pan that you have lightly oiled and cook the aubergine on each side, for about 3/4 minutes till the slices have softened and are roasted.

2. La'. When you have grilled all the silces, place a teaspoon roll of stracchino cheese in the middle of each. Roll the slice on itself and secure it by pinning it with a thootpick. Garnish the rolls with rucola or any other aromatic lettuce which you like.

3. La' .enjoy the delight!

The rolls can be accompanied by some fresh bread rolls or some grissini or simple water crackers, they are great accompanied by some dry red wine, possibly Sicilian.

Aubergine Parcels

In Sicily there are many variety of aubergines ready to satisfy the most demanding taste. You can find aubergine stocked in every market place, happily arranged in wooden boxes or in asymmetric piles. The feast of purple and indigo eggs promising delights, charmed me since I was a kid. That is to say that the smell of sicilian summers and the one of aubergine come together as one for me.

The credit to this recipe goes to Mamma Lucia, who creatively reinterpreted the parmigiana traditional one.

You will need:
-1,2 large aubergine cut in slices about 1 cm thick
- bread crumbs
- grated parmigiano reggiano
- freshly made tomato sauce
- mozzarella, or any other cheese which is delicious melted
-1,2 eggs beaten
- olive oil

1. la'- Fry the aubergine slices in a pan with enough oil. Enough means that the aubergine will tend to absorb the oil and you will have to top it each time, with enough oil in the pan so that the slice is half covered. Turn the slices till they are golden brown. Drain the excess oil by placing them in a large strainer, so the slices can retain their shape.

2. la'- Oil lightly an oven tin. Have a dish ready with the beaten egg, and a dish ready with a little hill of bread crumbs, a dish with the tomato sauce and another for the parmigiano. Take one slice at the time dip both sides in the egg and than in the bread crumbs. Place the slices on the tray and continue this activity till you have used half of the fried slices.

3. la'- On top of each slice lay an abundant spoon of tomato sauce and a slice of cheese. Dip the remaining slices in the egg and bread crumbs and use them to top up the other.
Again lay a spoon of tomato on top of the parcels, and complete them by sprinkling them generously with the grated parmigiano cheese.

4. la'- Place the parcels in a medium heat oven for about 15 minutes.

The parcels can be eaten hot but are also excellent served cold. They can be a starter or a vegetarian main course accompanied by rise or cus cus and salad. Their beauty is that their use is as versatile as it gets.