Equipment
Ingredients
Eggplant
- 400 g globe eggplant, sliced into 1cm thick rounds
- 30 ml olive oil
- 5 g kosher salt
Crispy Capers
- 30 g capers, drained and patted bone-dry
- 45 ml neutral oil
Herb-Caper Oil
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 10 g fresh basil, finely chopped
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 g lemon zest, finely grated
- 15 g capers, drained and roughly chopped
- 3 g garlic, grated or minced to a paste
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Finish
- 200 g burrata cheese, room temperature
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 455 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 7 g
- Fat
- 45 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 906 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 12 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 16 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Potassium
- 311 mg
- Calcium
- 294 mg
- Iron
- 0.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 22 mg
- Phosphorus
- 30 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 105 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 9 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 72 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.05 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.06 mg
- Niacin
- 0.8 mg
- Folate
- 31 mcg
- Water
- 111 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Drain the 30g of capers for frying and spread them on paper towels. Blot them repeatedly until they are completely dry to prevent violent oil splattering.
Heat the neutral oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, around 180 C or 350 F. Carefully add the dried capers and fry until they burst open like little flowers and become crispy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on fresh paper towels.
In a mixing bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, chopped parsley, basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, 15g of chopped capers, grated garlic, and black pepper. Stir vigorously to emulsify the dressing.
Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the eggplant rounds on both sides with the 30ml of olive oil and season evenly with kosher salt. Heat a grill pan or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until very hot.
Place the eggplant slices in the hot pan in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Sear until deeply browned and tender all the way through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Arrange the warm seared eggplant on a serving platter. Gently tear open the room temperature burrata and place the pieces thoughtfully among the eggplant. Spoon the herbaceous caper oil generously over the entire dish, then scatter the crispy fried capers on top.
Chef's Notes
- The contrast of temperatures is key here. Serving warm, freshly seared eggplant against room-temperature burrata maximizes the creaminess of the cheese.
- Eggplant acts like a sponge. Brushing the oil onto the slices rather than pouring it into the pan is a non-negotiable technique to prevent them from becoming greasy.
- Do not discard the oil used to fry the capers. It is now infused with an incredible briny flavor and can be strained and used to roast potatoes or dress a salad later.
- Frying capers physically transforms them, blooming their tightly furled buds into crispy, delicate spheres that add a crucial textural element to the soft eggplant and cheese.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store components separately. Burrata loses its ideal texture once opened and refrigerated.
Troubleshooting
Violent splattering when frying capers
Cause: Capers retained too much moisture or brine
Fix: Use a splatter screen immediately and slightly lower the heat
Prevention: Squeeze capers gently in paper towels and allow them to air dry for 5 minutes before frying
Eggplant is greasy and heavy
Cause: Oil was poured directly into the pan instead of brushed onto the flesh
Fix: Press seared eggplant gently between paper towels to extract excess oil before plating
Prevention: Always brush oil lightly directly onto the raw eggplant slices, as their sponge-like cell structure will absorb any free oil in the pan
Burrata center is stiff and cold
Cause: Cheese was used straight from the refrigerator
Fix: Let the plated dish sit for 5-10 minutes so the residual heat from the warm eggplant softens the cheese
Prevention: Take burrata out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving
Cultural Context
Burrata, a fresh Italian cheese hailing from the Apulia region, translates to buttered, which describes its rich stracciatella and cream interior perfectly. By pairing this decadent cheese with the bright, sharp, and briny notes of Mediterranean staples like capers, lemon, and olive oil, the dish achieves a sophisticated balance of fat and acid. The addition of seared eggplant grounds the plate with earthy, smoky sweetness.
