We pair this summer vegetarian dish – Eggplant pie, confit tomatoes and smoked scamorza cheese with basil pesto – with Vigneti delle Dolomiti Villa Gresti 2020 San Leonardo. The smoky and aromatic notes harmonize with the nuances of the wine, and the pesto introduces an aromatic freshness that lightens the dish, making it perfect even in hot weather.
Ingredients (for 4 people):
2 eggplants; 150 g cherry tomatoes; 150 g smoked scamorza cheese; extra virgin olive oil; dried oregano, sugar, salt, pepper
For the pesto: 1 bunch fresh basil; 30 g pine nuts; 50 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano; 1/2 clove garlic; Extra virgin olive oil, salt to taste.
Preparation:
Confit tomatoes: Place the halved cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet with parchment paper, cut side up. Season with salt, sugar, pepper, oregano and a drizzle of oil. Bake at 120°C for about 1 1/2 hours (or at 160°C for 40 minutes if you have less time).
Eggplant: Slice them rather thinly and place them in a colander with plenty of coarse salt for at least half an hour to drain. Grill on a well-hot, lightly greased griddle. Season with salt and allow to cool.
Pesto: Blend all ingredients until a creamy but fluid pesto is obtained (add oil flush to desired consistency).
Cupcake assembly:
In a pastry cup or small mold, alternate:
- A slice of eggplant,
- A slice of scamorza cheese,
- a few confit tomatoes,
- a drizzle of pesto.
Repeat for 2-3 layers.
It can be served at room temperature or baked for 5 minutes at 180°C to melt the scamorza cheese.
Wine pairing:
Vigneti delle Dolomiti Villa Gresti 2020 San Leonardo
Intense garnet ruby. Typically varietal aromas, with clear notes of raspberry, then hints of cassis, strawberries and sweet spices. Palate composed, balanced, smooth, with velvety tannins and excellent finish persistence.
Production area: Trentino, in the area of Avio. The vineyards that give rise to Villa Gresti are located within the ancient walls of the monastery. Clay soils with excellent draining power for Merlot, light and sandy for Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère. Altitude 120-300 meters above sea level, southwest-northwest exposure.
Grape varieties: Merlot predominantly with balance of Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère. Training system: spurred cordon and Guyot with planting density of 5,100 vines per hectare; double Trentino pergola, 1,800 vines per hectare; simple Trentino pergola, 2,500 vines per hectare. Vineyard ages 15 to 40 years. Grape yield per hectare 50-60 q for spurred cordon and guyot, 80-90 q for double and simple Trentino pergola.
Production processes: Spontaneous fermentation and maceration for 12-15 days in small concrete tanks with several daily pumpings over and sporadic délestage. After racking, malolactic fermentation takes place in the same tanks where the wine remains in decantation for several months. Aging for 18 months in medium-toasted French oak tonneaux of first and second passage, final blending follows. The wine is finally bottled and remains for at least 18 months in the winery cellars before being put on the market.
Alcohol content: 13% vol.
Serving temperature: 16 °C
Recommended pairings: Delicate white and red meats, pastas and risottos with rich sauces, medium-aged cheeses.
