Eggplant with Anchovies and Cheese - Berenjena con Anchoa y Queso Fresco

This tapa combines some of the most typical ingredients in Spanish cuisine – eggplant, fresh cheese, garlic and anchovies to make a unique open-faced sort of sandwich. It's perfect for late summer or fall, especially if you have an over-abundance of eggplants in your garden! Toasted bread is first spread with creamy, fresh cheese, which is then drizzled with a green sauce. Then a layer of roasted eggplant is added and finally anchovy fillets top it off.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 large globe eggplant or 2 Asian eggplants
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 3 sprigs Italian parsley
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 slices rustic baguette or 2 slices large loaf rustic bread
• 3/4 cup fresh cheese or substitute Ricotta cheese
• 12 canned anchovy fillets

Preparation:

This eggplant and anchovy tapa makes about 2-3 servings.

Cut eggplants lengthwise to make slices approximately 1/4-inch thick. Brush with olive oil. Place slices on broiler pan and broil on both sides. If you prefer, grill the slices on a BBQ. Eggplant slices should be soft, but not dried out.

Toast bread, then allow to cool on a rack for about 5 minutes.

Prepare green sauce. Peel garlic cloves, then chop coarsely. Place parsley and chopped garlic into a food processor or blender and drizzle in extra virgin olive oil while processing. (A stick blender can also be used to make this sauce.) Process or blend until parsley is chopped, but still recognizable.

Spread cheese over each slice of bread. Then drizzle green sauce over cheese and place grilled eggplant slice on top. Place anchovy fillet on top. If using larger loaf of bread, rather than baguette slices, cut each slice in half so it is easier to pick up.

Serve with napkins as this dish can be messy.

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