Eggplant Aubergine Romano Recipes

BAKED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Prepare a baking dish with non-stick play.
• Arrange eggplant and tomato slices into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Drizzle olive oil over the vegetables; season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the entire mixture.
• Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is beginning to brown, about 30 minutes. Switch oven broiler to high; continue baking until completely browned, about 5 minutes.

TRADITIONAL EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• In a colander, toss eggplant with 2 teaspoons salt. Let stand 30 minutes. Arrange slices in a single layer on a dish towel and roll up tightly to extract excess water.
• Meanwhile, in a medium pot, bring tomatoes and garlic to a boil. Reduce heat and cook at a rapid simmer until thickened, 30 minutes.
• In a shallow dish, combine breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Put flour and eggs in two more shallow dishes. Coat eggplant in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg, letting excess drip off. Coat with breadcrumbs.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large straight-sided skillet, heat oil over medium-high (a few breadcrumbs should sizzle when added). In batches, fry eggplant until golden brown and tender, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet.
• Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with half the eggplant, overlapping slices slightly, 2 cups sauce, and half the mozzarella. Repeat with remaining eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella, then sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

AUNT MARY'S EGGPLANT BALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Pour in olive oil and saute garlic just until lightly browned. Mix in eggplant and water. Reduce heat to low and cover skillet. Allow eggplant to steam until soft, about 20 minutes. Place eggplant in a large bowl and allow to cool slightly.
• Mix cheese, parsley, eggs, and bread crumbs into eggplant. Stir with a wooden spoon or your hands until ingredients are thoroughly combined and mixture can be rolled into balls. Add more bread crumbs as needed to make mixture workable. Refrigerate mixture for 15 minutes, then roll into balls or form into patties.
• Place eggplant balls on prepared baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

MACARONI AND EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Cut eggplants lengthwise into 20 (1/4-inch-thick) slices total with a long serrated knife and transfer to a colander. Toss with 2 tablespoons sea salt, then let drain 1 hour.
• While eggplant drains, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion and garlic, stirring, until golden, about 6 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juice and remaining 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in basil.
• Gently squeeze eggplant to remove excess moisture (this helps reduce any bitter flavor) and pat dry. Heat 1/4 inch oil (about 2 cups) in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until it registers 360°F on thermometer, then fry eggplant in 4 batches, turning over once with tongs, until golden, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain.
• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain in colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Drain well and toss pasta with 1 tablespoon oil.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce in bottom of a 13- by 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish.
• Line up 5 pasta strands parallel to one another on a work surface and cut crosswise into thirds. Put 1 fried eggplant slice on work surface and stack cut pasta (15 pieces) across 1 end of slice. Roll up eggplant, leaving ends of pasta exposed, and transfer to baking dish, seam side down. Make more rolls in same manner with remaining eggplant and pasta, transferring to dish (rolls will fit snugly). Spoon remaining sauce over eggplant, then cover dish loosely with foil. Bake until rolls are heated through, about 15 minutes.
• • Cooks' notes:.
• Tomato sauce, without basil, can be made 2 days ahead and cooled, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Stir in basil before proceeding.
• • To take the temperature of a shallow amount of oil, put bulb in skillet and turn thermometer facedown, resting other end against rim of skillet. Check temperature frequently.
• • Dish can be assembled (but not baked) 1 day ahead and chilled, covered (basil may discolor). Bring to room temperature to bake.
• Makes 10 first-course servings.

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) ROLLATINI

Steps:

• Spoon the ricotta into a fine strainer placed over a bowl in the refrigerator for several hours. Discard the excess liquid. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread thin coating of olive oil on 3-4 baking or cookie sheet pans, or reuse the same pan several times.
• Put the flat end of the eggplant down onto the cutting board. Slice the eggplants lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices, to make about 15 slices. Beat 4 of the eggs. Add salt and pepper to season eggs. Coat each eggplant slice with flour, then dip into the beaten eggs, drain any excess egg mixture, then coat with bread crumbs and lay flat on baking sheet.
• Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
• You may have to bake them in batches. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.
• Combine ricotta, remaining egg, garlic, basil, parsley, 3/4 of the mozzeralla cheese and 1/2 cup of the grated Romano or Parmesan in a bowl. Mix well. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
• Spoon 1 cup of tomato sauce onto the bottom of a small baking dish. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling onto the wide end of each piece of eggplant. Then, roll up each piece and place into the baking dish.
• Top with remaining tomato sauce, mozzarella, and grated Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, until the tomato sauce is bubbling and the filling is hot. Let them rest for 15 minutes before serving.

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) CREOLE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Wash and slice the eggplant.
• Sprinkle well with some salt in a strainer and let sit for 30 minutes.
• Rinse salt off well, and pat dry on towelling.
• Heat the first amount of oil in a fry pan and saute each slice of eggplant just until golden with brown colourings.
• Arrange eggplant in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan.
• Hint: sometimes I brush oil on my eggplant and place on a cookie sheet, and bake in the oven turning once to brown each side, maybe a total of 12 minutes, instead of the frying.
• Also with the pan frying you might have to add more oil, as the eggplant will absorb the oil.
• (or use peanut oil which does not get too absorbed into vegie.).
• After layering into your baking dish set oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat the second tablespoon on olive oil in a skillet and saute onion, peppers, and celery for 5 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and cook two minutes.
• Add the paste, and water and spices.
• Cook until thickened.
• Pour over the eggplant evenly.
• Sprinkle with the romano cheese.
• Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese.
• Sprinkle with the black pepper freshly ground.
• Bake in the oven until cheese is melted and browned and all is heated thru.
• approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
• As you can tell from this recipe each item is already cooked to your preference before going into the oven for final 15 minutes.
• So the thickness of the sauce and doness of the eggplant is already almost to its peak.
• Alternative topping.
• 3 whole eggs, a quarter cup of cheese grated and 1 cup bread crumbs, make a paste and smear over the top evenly (like a pie crust) then place in oven to bake the 20 minutes.

ITALIAN EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) CREPES

Steps:

• Cut eggplant lengthwise into thin slices.
• Sprinkle each side lightly with salt.
• Place in a colander weighted with a heavy plate and let stand one hour.
• Dip each slice on both sides in seasoned flour.
• Sauté lightly on both sides until golden.
• Add oil as needed.
• Keep warm.
• Mean while grate parmesan or romano cheese in food processor with steel blade.
• Combine with ricotta, eggs, garlic, salt and pepper.
• Add spinach and blend.
• Place several tablespoons of spinach mixture in center of crepe.
• Roll up and place seam sides down in a 13x9 inch baking pan.
• Top with tomato sauce.
• Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 minutes or until hot and bubbling.
• To prepare tomato sauce for eggplant crepes: Place vegetables in a food processor with steel blade.
• Process until finely chopped.
• In large saucepan, sauté vegetables in olive oil with garlic, basil, oregano and thyme until tender.
• Add remaining ingredients and simmer 20 minutes.
• Transfer to food processor or blender and process until smooth.
• Pour over eggplant crepes before heating in oven.
• Makes 2+1/2 cups sauce.
• Notes: When I'm in a hurry I will use one of the good home style Italian sauces with peppers and vegetables on the grocery shelf like Aunt Millie's or Classico, instead of making this sauce.

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) ROMANO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a heavy bottomed skillet, cook eggplant in olive oil until tender.
• Drain.
• Mix tomato (sauce) with garlic and oregano.
• Add chives to ricotta.
• Mix crumbs with Romano.
• In greased 12 X 8 baking dish, place half the eggplant.
• Top with 1/2 the ricotta.
• Top with 1/2 the tomato mixture.
• Top with 1/2 the crumb mixture.
• Repeat.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

SCHIRRIPA'S EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Start by cutting the top and bottom off the eggplant. Cut it into 1/8-inch slices. Whisk 2 eggs with 1/4 cup milk. Lay out 3 cups of bread crumbs on paper towel. In a large skillet, heat 1/2 cup oil. Take each piece of eggplant and dip in the egg wash, then in bread crumbs and make sure to completely cover each piece with bread crumbs, and then fry in hot oil. Brown each slice of eggplant. Occasionally change the oil; you don't want to continue cooking eggplant slices with burnt loose bread crumbs. Place fried eggplant on paper towel to absorb some of the oil. Slice the fresh mozzarella.
• Line the bottom of an 11 by 9 inch glass pan with a layer of sauce. Place a layer of eggplant, followed by slice of mozzarella, a heaping layer of sauce, then sprinkle with a layer of Pecorino Romano cheese. Repeat, and stack about 3 to 4 eggplants high. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes. You know it's ready when the sauce bubbles and the cheese is melted.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan over medium heat until it becomes fragrant. Mix the garlic with 1 teaspoon water and carefully add this to the warm oil. Saute the garlic and cook without browning it. Add the tomatoes, bring it to a boil, and then reduce the heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the basil, salt and sugar, and simmer 5 more minutes. Just before serving, blend in the last tablespoon of olive oil.