Made By Emily
Main Dishes

Eggplant, Ham and Cheese Tortilla Cake

Delicious eggplant dish that's tastier than pizza, appealing for dinner parties.

Recipe Summary

  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Servings: 4
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean-inspired
  • Course: Main course
  • Calories: 320 kcal per serving

Ingredients

  • 1 medium eggplant
  • 15 cherry tomatoes
  • 3 piadinas or large flour tortillas
  • 2 eggs
  • 140 g (5 oz) Emmental or Leerdammer cheese, grated or sliced
  • 100 g (3.5 oz) cooked ham, sliced
  • 3 spring onions, cleaned and sliced
  • Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
  • Salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Slice the eggplant into rounds about 1 cm (½ inch) thick. Sprinkle them with salt and let sit for 15 minutes to release bitter moisture.
  2. Wash and slice the spring onions; halve the cherry tomatoes.
  3. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan and sauté the cherry tomatoes with spring onions, salt, and pepper until tomatoes wilt and soften nicely, about 5–7 minutes.
  4. Pat the eggplant slices dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
  5. Lightly grill the eggplant slices on a hot grill pan or griddle until they develop nice grill marks and a smoky aroma, around 3 minutes per side.
  6. Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F).
  7. Beat the eggs in a bowl with a pinch of salt until just combined.
  8. In the baking dish, lay down the first piadina or tortilla as the base.
  9. Arrange a layer of grilled eggplant over the base.
  10. Spread the sautéed tomatoes and spring onions evenly over the eggplant.
  11. Add a layer of cooked ham slices on top.
  12. Sprinkle grated cheese evenly over the ham.
  13. Pour half of the beaten eggs over the layered ingredients.
  14. Cover with the second piadina or tortilla and repeat the layering with eggplant, tomatoes, ham, cheese, and the remaining egg mixture.
  15. Close the dish with the last piadina or tortilla.
  16. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until the top is golden and the cheese is melted and stringy.
  17. Remove from the oven, let rest a few minutes to set, then cut into slices and serve warm.

Recipe Notes

  • Do not skip salting and drying the eggplant—this prevents sogginess.
  • Grilling the eggplant adds a delicious smoky flavor that elevates the dish.
  • Use fresh, ripe cherry tomatoes for the best sweetness.
  • Let the baked cake cool slightly before cutting to keep slices neat.

Nutrition Estimate

Per serving (based on 4 servings):

  • Calories: 320 kcal
  • Protein: 18 g
  • Carbohydrates: 25 g
  • Fat: 14 g

Values are estimates and may vary by ingredients and portion size.