Mediterranean eggplant wraps are a terrific make-ahead lunch, or if you can’t resist…just lunch. Soft flatbread is rolled around grilled veggies, soft goat cheese, and herby basil. Sounds like the perfect excuse for a picnic to us.
These eggplant wraps are the absolute perfect hors d’oeuvre or picnic food. They can be made and assembled a day in advance and refrigerated. The wraps travel well and the eggplant will taste even better when the wraps come to room temperature. Wait until the last minute to cut them in halves or, if you like, slice them for little aram-style sandwiches for a party platter.–Maggie Foard
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Mediterranean Eggplant Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant diced
- 2 red bell peppers diced
- 1 medium sweet onion diced
- 6 to 8 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 ounces chèvre*
- Four (8-inch) soft Mediterranean flat breads or flour tortillas
- 1 cup sliced basil leaves
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Combine the eggplant, peppers, onion, and garlic in a heavy ovenproof skillet, and toss with the oil, salt, and pepper. Roast the eggplant mixture in the oven for about 30 to 35 minutes, until everything has cooked down and is highly fragrant. Let cool a bit.
- Warm the chèvre for 15 seconds on low in a small bowl in the microwave to soften it.
- Spread 1/4 of the warmed chèvre on each flatbread or tortilla. Spoon on some of the eggplant mixture and sprinkle on 1/4 cup basil. Roll up the wrap from one side, jelly-roll style.
- At this point, cover the wraps in plastic and refrigerate until later, if need be. To serve, cut the eggplant wraps in half or slice them into appetizer size pieces.
Notes
*What can I substitute for chèvre?
Generally speaking, the name chèvre encompasses any French cheese made from goat’s milk. In this recipe, the author is going with the creamy, tangy goat cheese–you know, the kind that comes in a log shape and goes so well with figs or cranberries. If you want to try something different, though, we have some suggestions. Soft feta will make a very flavorful sub here. Boursin or cream cheese will give you both the tang and the creamy texture of goat cheese. Ricotta or mascarpone will work well too but without the tanginess.Show Nutrition
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We’d love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This robust, healthy sandwich is perfect for summer with its fresh, farmers’ market ingredients. The procedure was straightforward: chop and roast the vegetables, spread goat cheese on the flatbread, wrap, and roll.
The roasted onions and garlic added richness to the peppers and eggplant, and the sour goat cheese was a delicious counterpoint. I had leftover vegetables (since I only made two sandwiches) and I tossed them with chickpeas, olive oil, and lemon juice for a tasty side dish.
HUNGRY FOR MORE?
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Nancy A. Mosher
Bored with the same old sandwiches or wraps at work or on a picnic? Here’s the solution. This is a recipe that can be made once following the directions and then can easily be made over and over from memory, with great results each time. It just couldn’t be any simpler to make but gives results with a taste that implies much more labor and skill were required than is necessary to make this tasty sandwich.
Eaten warm with the chèvre melting into the vegetables was heavenly, but these sandwiches are great, too, saved for later and eaten at room temperature. Finding these in your lunch box will brighten the most mundane of workdays at the office.