Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches with Burrata and Fermented Hot Pepper Honey

Photos by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

This sandwich was on our opening menu in 2016 at The Plate, a sandwich shop in Milton I ran for nine amazing years. It quickly became a fan favorite and one I still really love making. I’ve given it a few tweaks since then.

I think of eggplant as a culinary sponge—it soaks up flavor in the most beautiful way. I found adding a good dose of balsamic to its original marinade changed everything. I like to marinate the thick slices before the grill, then toss them back into the same marinade after they cook. This method of a double marinade and stacking the slices lets them steam further, producing tender eggplant in every bite and holds onto that tangy-sweet depth of flavor.

I’ve traded the fresh mozzarella of the original for burrata here. That milky, creamy base loves a drizzle of fiery, fruity fermented hot honey. I started fermenting honey because I wanted heat with a little more patience to it. On burrata, the hot honey pools instead of running: sweet first, then slow burn—exactly what smoky eggplant wants.

For the roll, look for something sturdy enough to carry it all. I like a good ciabatta: low, crusty and built for use. Ciabatta translates to “slipper” in Italian. Toasted or pressed, it gives instead of cracks, with an open crumb that holds oil, sauce and drippings without collapsing. A nice bakery ciabatta, split and toasted, is perfect here.

A pile of fresh arugula goes on last for a peppery herbaceous bite and a healthy swipe of salsa verde goes onto both sides of the roll. Creamy, smoky, sweet, hot and herby. My perfect bite.

Makes 4 sandwiches

FOR THE EGGPLANT:
1 large or 2 small eggplants, about 1½ pounds total
2 teaspoons kosher salt

FOR THE MARINADE:
⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
3 cloves garlic, peeled and grated
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

FOR THE SALSA VERDE:
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, tough stems removed
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 to 2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup neutral oil
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
kosher salt, to taste

TO ASSEMBLE:
4 good ciabatta rolls, split and toasted
salsa verde
8 ounces burrata
Fermented Hot Pepper Honey (see recipe above)
handful of arugula

MAKE THE EGGPLANT:

Trim the stem and base from the eggplant. Cut in half crosswise through the middle. Stand each half upright and slice into even ¼-inch planks.

Lay the sliced eggplant on a tray and salt both sides generously. Set the salted eggplant in a colander over a plate or in the sink for 30 minutes to an hour. You’ll see beads of water form on the surface over time.

Rinse slices quickly under cold water to remove excess salt. Pat completely dry with a clean kitchen towel. Note: Salting draws out moisture and firms the flesh so it soaks up the marinade. Skip this step if short on time. I do it because my Italian grandmother always did.

MAKE THE MARINADE:

In a flat-bottomed baking dish, whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, parsley, grated garlic, salt and pepper. Add the dried eggplant slices. Use your hands to toss until every piece is evenly coated. Let the eggplant marinate for at least 15 minutes or even longer if you can.

MAKE THE SALSA VERDE:

Add parsley, shallots, garlic, capers, both oils and champagne vinegar to a blender or mini food processor. Add a pinch of salt. Blend on medium until mostly smooth, stopping it when there is still a little texture left in the spread, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides if needed. Taste. Add salt to taste until it’s bright, briny and alive.

MAKE THE GRILLED EGGPLANT:

Heat an outdoor grill or grill pan over medium heat.

Lay eggplant slices on the oiled grill. Don’t crowd them. Keep the marinade dish nearby.

Grill 3 to 4 minutes per side, until slices are tender and well charred. If the middle isn’t soft, keep going. Char is good here. Return the grilled eggplant to the marinade dish, stacking the slices on top of one another as they are finished grilling. This helps them to steam further once they are nicely charred. Toss to coat with any leftover marinade. Let them rest for 5 minutes so they can soak up more flavor. Repeat with remaining slices.

MAKE THE SANDWICHES:

Split and toast the inside of the ciabatta rolls. Spread salsa verde onto the top and bottom of each roll. Add a layer of burrata to the bottom bun. Drizzle with fermented hot honey. Pile on warm grilled eggplant. Top with a handful of arugula. Close sandwiches and serve right away.

This recipe appeared in the Fall 2026 issue as part of a larger story on Fermented Hot Honey.