Here’s how to make Executive Chef Ivan Fargnoli’s Chinese eggplant with tomatoes, Grana Padano cheese gel and crispy waffle for a show-stopping summer dish that’ll transport you straight to Hilton Molino Stucky Venice
Reopen for the 2024 season, the Aromi restaurant at Hilton Molino Stucky Venice is welcoming guests with a brand new menu crafted by Executive Chef Ivan Fargnoli.
Here’s how to make one of our favourite dishes from the new selection – a flavoursome Chinese eggplant dish crafted with with succulent tomatoes, Grana Padano cheese gel and a crispy waffle for added garnish.
Ingredients
• 3 long black eggplants
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 1 clove of garlic
• 4 grams of agar agar* or use Agar Agar powder
• 2 Dl or .85 cups Whole Milk
• 80 gr Grana Padano Reserve
• 60 gr Grana Padano aged over 16 months (aged if possible!)
• 300 grams of red, yellow and green tomatoes
• 10 g Thai basil leaves
• Frying oil
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and pepper
Method
1 Cut two eggplants in half lengthwise. Put them in a vacuum bag with garlic oil with thyme, salt and pepper, condition the vacuum and cook in a thermostatic bath at 72 ºC for 40 minutes and cool. Grate Grana Padano seasoned (ideally over 16 months).
2 Place the grated Grana Padano on a sheet of baking paper, bake in the microwave for 1 minute and leave to cool. Cut the remaining eggplant into very thin slices with a mandolin, fry in oil at 175 C, Drain on paper towels and salt.
3 Bring the milk to a boil, add the agar agar and remove from heat. Add the grated Grana Padano Riserva, cool and blend.
4 Remove the eggplants from the vacuum bag, fry them in a pan with a little oil, salt and pepper until golden brown and arrange them in plates.
5 Carefully place the sliced tomatoes on the eggplant. Gel, Grana Padano waffles, basil leaves and eggplant chips.
