Eggplant

Baked Eggplant with Dukkah

Baked+Eggplant+with+Dukkah.jpg

Makes 4 servings. 

This tasty luncheon or side dish is very similar to Eggplant Parmesan but much lighter with a distinct flavor of eggplant. You can also make it pareve by omitting the cheese.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 medium eggplants, about 1 pound each

  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper 

SAUCE:

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • 1½ cups chopped tomatoes (See Note)

  • 2 tablespoons dukkah (See Note)

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • ½ cup grated mozzarella, optional

PREPARATION:

  1. Preheat the oven to 450F.

  2. Line 2 large baking sheets with foil and grease with olive oil.   

  3. Rinse, dry and trim the ends of the eggplants. Peel and cut into ¼ inch rounds.

  4. Place the rounds on the baking sheets and brush with olive oil on one side only.

  5. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes. 

  6. In a small saucepan, heat the oil, add the garlic and sauté for a minute. Add the tomatoes and dukkah and bring to a boil. Season to taste. 

  7. Place the eggplant rounds in overlapping layers in an 8x13 oven proof dish. Sprinkle with the mozzarella.

  8. Spoon the tomato sauce over the eggplant and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

NOTE:

I like Pomi chopped tomatoes, which come in 26.46 cartons. Leftovers can be frozen.   

Dukkah is a blend of chopped nuts, seeds, herbs and spices.  

 
 

Spaghetti with Tomato Eggplant Sauce

Makes 6 first course servings.

Makes 4 main course servings.

This dish is for any time of year since the tomato sauce is not made with fresh tomatoes and eggplant is available all year.

Traditionally the eggplant is fried or roasted, but I prefer to broil it. This method requires less oil and saves time.

Freezing this sauce to have on hand is a help.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 baby eggplants, about ¾ pounds (See Note)
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • One 28 ounce can crushed San Marzano style tomatoes
  • 1 cup tightly packed basil leaves, coarsely torn
  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder, approx
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

  1. Preheat the broiler.
  2. Trim and discard eggplant stems, peel the eggplants, cut into ½ an inch dice, and place in a bowl. Toss the eggplant with ¼ cup of oil and spread it on a foil lined baking sheet.
  3. Broil for about 8 minutes or until almost soft. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
  4. In a large saucepan heat the rest of the oil, add the onion and garlic and sauté over low heat, covered for about 5 minutes.
  5. Add the tomatoes, basil and chili powder. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Add the eggplant and combine.  
  6. Bring 5 quarts of water to a rolling boil, add 2 tablespoons salt and all the spaghetti at once. Stir and boil briskly, uncovered for about 7 minutes. The pasta should be very al dente; it will continue cooking in the hot sauce.
  7. Drain well in a colander and combine with the hot sauce.
  8. Season to taste

NOTE:

I prefer using baby eggplants because they are not as seedy as regular ones.

 
 

Eggplant Parmesan

Makes 6 first course servings. Makes 4 luncheon servings.

This tasty, non-oily, oven to table dish can be made in stages. The sauce can be made ahead of time and refrigerates and freezes well; the eggplant can be broiled at any time; and the whole dish can be assembled, refrigerated and finally baked as needed.    

The recipe is simple – it’s layers of tomato sauce, eggplant, parmesan cheese and then topped with mozzarella and panko.  

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 tablespoons extra- virgin olive oil

  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • 1 onion, finely chopped

  • 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes (San Marzano)

  • 1 tablespoon double concentrate tomato paste.

  • 6 sun dried tomato halves in oil, cut into thin strips

  • 1 ½ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 5 baby eggplants, 5-6 inches long

  • 5 tablespoons extra- virgin olive oil

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper 

  • ¾ cup grated imported Parmesan cheese

  • 5 ounces shredded mozzarella

  • ¼ cup Panko

PREPARATION:

TO MAKE THE SAUCE:

  1. Heat the oil in a small saucepan.

  2. Add the onion and the garlic and simmer, covered, over low heat until tender, about 7 minutes. 

  3. Add the tomatoes, the tomato paste, sun dried tomatoes and the basil. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for another 10 minutes, stirring from time to time.

  4. Season with salt and pepper.

PREHEAT THE BROILER:

  1. Discard eggplant stems. Peel and cut the eggplant into ½ inch rounds.

  2. Cover the whole broiling pan, which comes with most ovens, with heavy foil. Then make a large shallow basket and place the eggplant slices on it. Using a pastry brush, brush the circles with oil on one side only then add salt and pepper.  

  3. Broil close to the heat source, without turning, until lightly brown, about 5 minutes. You will have to do this in 2 batches.

TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE THE DISH:

  1. Preheat oven to 375F.

  2. Coat an 8x12 baking dish with half of the tomato sauce. Arrange eggplant rounds on top and sprinkle with all of the Parmesan cheese. Spoon the rest of the tomato sauce over the eggplant, sprinkle with mozzarella, and top with Panko.

  3. Bake, uncovered for about ½ an hour or until bubbly.  

NOTE:

This photo shows unpeeled eggplant, but since I’ve revised the recipe I now peel the eggplant.