Eggplant crostini or Crostini di melanzana

We love crostini at home. We serve it as an appetizer during the summer months and with soup during the winter. The variety and depth of flavours in the crostini are amazing.

This version brings together herbs in roasted eggplant.

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1 tablespoon dried (or fresh rosemary, chopped

1 teaspoon sage (dried is fine)

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon black pepper powder

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix everything together.

1 large (or 4-5 small) eggplants.

Make a slit in the eggplants and put the herb mix into the slits. If small eggplants, I cut them in 4 leaving them joined at the base. Wrap in foil and bake at 375° F for 1 hour till soft and mushy.

Remove, cool and take the cooked meat from the eggplant with juices. Remove the skins and discard.

1/2 cup sour cream or yoghurt

3 tablespoons parsley minced

Salt and olive oil as needed

Mix all of the above into the roasted eggplant sauce and taste. Adjust as needed.

Baguette or bread, toasted if desired

Spread the eggplant on the bread. Top with olives or dots of sour cream/yoghurt.

Optional: can add some Chile powder to the first herb oil for a spicy version.

If you make a large amount of this, can be used as a sauce with pasta.

NOTE: Can omit sour cream or yoghurt to make this dish vegan.