Tomato, aubergine, and basil terrine with tuscan extra virgin olive oil

Tomato, aubergine, and basil terrine with tuscan extra virgin olive oil

“When Antonio and Nadia Santini told me about their 1974 honeymoon, I saw a flash of emotion in their eyes. They had gone to visit the cathedrals of French cuisine. On the way back, the turning point. Antonio was named after his grandfather, who a hundred years ago was the host of an inn and ferryman on the Oglio, in Runate, in the province of Mantua. In 1927, he opened a trattoria called “Pesce e Vino’'.

His son Giovanni and his wife Bruna (still very active until only recently) laid the foundations on which Antonio and Nadia have built a monument of Italian cuisine. 1982, the first Michelin star, 1988, the second, 1996 the third: the longest continuously held one in Italy to date. In 2013, Nadia was awarded the title of best female chef in the world. Their sons Giovanni and Alberto complete the perfect family picture. Giovanni (graduated in food sciences) works in the kitchen with his mother and puts his signature on these recipes with her. Alberto (a graduate in economics and a very refined sommelier) directs the front of house. Going to them means feeling at home even for the most common customer: Great cooking, excellent cellar, refined warmth.”

Bruno Vespa

The recipe

Ingredients for 4-6 persons

Ingredients

8 ripe and flavourful tomatoes
1 eggplant
50 g of Tuscan extra virgin olive oil
fresh basil
salt
8 g of vegetable gelatin
20 g of vegetable broth
50 g of ice

Preparation

1. Peel and thin cut the aubergines with a slicer. Make enough slices to line a ceramic casserole dish.
Using a very sharp knife, cold peel the tomatoes and crush them with your hands to facilitate the release of the seeds and the watery part.

2. Take an aluminum pan and pour in a few drops of oil; when hot, put in the aubergine slices and brown well, remove and use them to line the small ceramic casserole dish. Fill it with the previously crushed tomatoes, fold the ends of aubergines over to wrap them and add 2-3 basil leaves.

3. Boil some vegetable broth and use to melt the gelatin. Add in the ice (this way the temperature will drop quickly and the gelatin will be ready for the ceramic dish in a short time); Pour into the dish.

4. Move the gelatin with the tip of the knife so that it infuses well into the terrine and press gently to release all the air bubbles.

5. Leave to set in a refrigerator for at least an hour.

6. Turn out of the dish and serve sliced with Tuscan olive oil and a few leaves of basil