Eggplants Stuffed Beccafico

(Melanzane a Beccafico)
Beccafico (Sylvia borin) is a small song bird that nests in Tuscany and passes
over Sicily in spring and in the fall for the winter migration.
Those birds were stuffed and cooked in the kitchens of the nobles and wealthy by
the Monsu, the chefs of the elite. In the popular cooking the beccafico were
substituted with fresh sardines or to make this dish less expensive, the sardines
were substituted with the eggplant.
It is a delicious antipasto and a good vegetarian dish.
Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS
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3 medium eggplants- Sliced lengthways inch thick, skin on

1 cup of olive oil plus 2 tablespoons

1 medium size onion-diced

1 cups breadcrumbs, toasted in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes

juice of 2 lemons

2 tablespoons of sugar

2 anchovy fillets, chopped

2 oz. pinoli nuts

2 oz. currants or raisins

chopped Italian parsley

2 tablespoons of grated cheese

salt and pepper

PREPARATION

The Eggplants
Place eggplants in a colander, salt lightly and drain for 20 minutes, to remove the
bitterness. Void this operation if using garden fresh fruits or if using white or
Chinese Eggplants.
Rinse the sliced eggplant, and drain for a few minutes. Gently pat dry with paper
towels, brush both sides with oil and place the slices in a dish.
Grill eggplant slices until tender, about 4 minutes on one side and 3 minutes on the
other side.
If a grill is not available use your oven at 400 degrees cooking about 5 minutes on
each side or until tender.
The Stuffing
In a 12 inch skillet, heat cup olive oil over a medium flame. Add diced onions and
saut until golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add breadcrumbs and continue cooking for an
additional 2 minutes stirring continuously. Set aside in a large bowl.
When breadcrumbs cool off, add the juice of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon of sugar, fillets
of anchovies, pinoli, currants, parsley and cheese.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, to combine all of the ingredients.
The Stuffed Eggplants
As soon as the sliced eggplant are cool, place 1 teaspoon of stuffing on the narrow
side of the slice, fold and roll up, arrange stuffed eggplant in an oiled pan 12 X 8.
Alternate a slice of onion and a bay leaf between each rollatino di melenzana.
Wisk remaining olive oil with lemon and sugar, sprinkle over eggplant, shake any
leftover breadcrumb mixture on top.
Bake for 20 minutes at 400.

Rollatini taste better if served at room temperature.

Garnish with slices of lemon.

Buon Appetito!