The very best mozzarella is made from buffalo milk. It comes to us all the way from the south of Italy, stored in whey to keep it moist. It is a pure white, very delicate cheese, and when cut or broken the interior will be milky and soft.
Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS
1 large purple eggplant
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
1 ball fresh buffalo mozzarella
2 large beefsteak tomatoes or 4 medium tomatoes
fresh basil leaves
Dressing
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup basil leaves
¼ cup flat leaf parsley
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Slice the eggplant 1cm thick. Combine the oil, garlic and rosemary and brush on both sides of the eggplant. Place on a baking tray and season. Bake until tender and golden then set aside to cool.
Slice or roughly chop the tomatoes.
Dressing: Pound the garlic and the salt in a mortar. Add the herbs and pound to a paste. Stir in the oil and the lemon juice and season to taste. Add more lemon juice if needed.
To serve: Arrange the slices of eggplant and the tomatoes on a serving platter. Break the mozzarella into pieces and scatter over the salad. Drizzle the dressing over everything and top with fresh basil leaves.

Keep up to date with
dish weekly recipes,
food news, and events.
latest issue:
Issue #120
As the days become shorter, and the nights cooler, the latest issue is perfectly timed to deliver delicious autumn dishes. From recipes using fresh seasonal produce such as feijoas and apples, to spectacular soothing soups and super-quick after-work meals in our Food Fast section, we’ve got you covered. With Easter on the horizon, we feature recipes that will see you through breakfast, lunch and dinner over a leisurely weekend holiday, and whip up chocolatey baking treats sure to please. We round up delicious dinners for two and showcase a hot new Korean cookbook before heading south to Dunedin to check out all that’s new in food and dining.The latest issue of dish is on sale NOW at all good bookstores and supermarkets – don’t miss it!