Aubergine Saltimbocca

This simple aubergine saltimbocca is a quirky and easy take on the classic saltimbocca recipe that uses veal as the body of this dish, here I use aubergine/eggplant which is a lot cheaper and tastes great too.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• This eggplant saltimbocca recipe is super quick to make so great for a midweek meal when you are short on time.
• It’s economical, just compare the price of an aubergine/eggplant to chicken, pork or veal.
• The taste, the textures and flavours in this aubergine saltimbocca recipe make it super delicious.
• Easy – don’t you just love an easy recipe!

Saltimbocca translates as ‘jump in the mouth’ and I have to say, this is one dish that really does almost jump into your mouth as it is just so damn good.

I love aubergines and use them in a lot of recipes from a simple eggplant soup to stuffed aubergines like these Moroccan ones. There are links to more of my eggplant recipes below.

Ingredients for aubergine saltimbocca

You don’t need many ingredients for this simple Italian dish so make sure you are using the freshest and best quality ingredients you can afford.

Aubergine/eggplant – this is the star of the show so make sure it is ripe and hasn’t gone over and got to the seedy pulpy stage – check out my notes on how to tell when an aubergine is at its best bellow.

Parma ham – Proscutto or parma ham, serano ham. Any of these delicious cured meats will do for this dish.

Cheese – there are two cheeses in my aubergine saltimbocca recipe, parmesan and mozzarella cheese.

Pesto – I’ve used a simple homemade red pesto here but you can use a classic basil pesto too if you like, I make lots of pestos and have even written a book on pesto – A Passion For Pesto.

Sage – you need fresh sage for saltimbocca as you will be pinning the sage life on top to look for a few nice big sage leaves.

How to tell when an eggplant is ripe

You can tell when an aubergine is at its best when the skin is glossy and taut and not wrinkled. Test the texture of the flesh, it should be firm but give a little when pressed then bounce right back.

The complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making this recipe can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

How to make eggplant saltimbocca

This is such a quick and easy recipe and one that goes down well with all the family.

Simply slice your aubergine lengthways into steaks about 5mm thick – I use one aubergine and it serves two people. Of course it all depends on the size of the aubergine.

Fry the aubergine silces in olive oil for about 5 minutes each side till lovely and golden.

Remove them from the pan and drain on kitchen paper. Now cover each slice with some pesto then sliced mozzarella and a slice of your chosen ham, top with a sage leaf and pin it all together with a toothpick/cocktail stick.

Place the prepared eggplants pieces onto a baking tray and pop into a hot oven for about 10 minutes till golden.

Serve with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese as you can never have too much cheese can you?

How to serve eggplant saltimbocca

I like to just serve this a a light main course having two slices per person and some good crusty bread on the side and maybe a nice green salad.

You can also use this as a starter, or part of a mezze-style sharing table.

How many does this recipe serve?

My aubergine saltimbocca recipe serves two people each getting two slices per serving. Just double up the recipe etc to serve more people.

Can this be made ahead?

Yes, you can cook fry the eggplant slices and prep them up with all your toppings and pop them into the fridge on the baking tray all ready just to pop in the oven for 10 minutes when you want to serve them.

Looking for more delicious eggplant recipes? Then check these out before you go

Pasta alla Norma (eggplant spaghetti)

Greek stuffed aubergines

Mini aubergine pizzas

Roasted aubergine soup

Moroccan style stuffed eggplant

Sicilian Caponata

Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.