Eggplant Gnocchi Gnocchetti Di Melanzane Recipes

EGGPLANT & POTATO GNOCCHI WITH CHUNKY EGGPLANT SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the gnocchi, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut the eggplant in half and place on a baking sheet cut side down along with the potatoes.
• Bake the eggplant and potatoes until fork tender, about 50 minutes.
• Let sit until cool enough to handle.
• Scoop the flesh from the eggplant and puree, then place in a strainer in the sink for 30 minutes.
• Scoop out the potato from the skin and pass through a ricer into a bowl.
• Once drained, add the eggplant pulp, egg, and cup of flour.
• Stir until mixed then dump onto a lightly floured surface.
• Use your hands to lightly knead just enough to bring the dough together, dusting with additional flour as needed to prevent sticking.
• Roll the dough into 1 inch thick logs, dusting with flour as needed.
• Cut the dough into 1 inch pieces and place on a lightly floured baking sheet.
• Refrigerate until needed.
• To make the sauce, in a non-stick pan, heat the oil over medium heat until lightly smoking.
• Add the onion and eggplant, and cook until they are both soft and lightly browned, stirring as needed to prevent sticking, about 8 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook an additional minute or two.
• Add the remaining sauce ingredients, and cook over low heat until the sauce is very thick, about 30 minutes.
• Heat a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
• Cook the gnocchi just until they float to the top, then remove to a large bowl.
• Add a ladle or two full of sauce to the bowl and gently toss the gnocchi to completely coat in the sauce.
• Serve the gnocchi in individual bowls, topped with a little extra sauce, some shredded ricotta salta, and a few baby basil leaves.

ITALIAN EGGPLANT GNOCCHI BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Add the gnocchi to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions; drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and 1/8 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is very soft and the onions are golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Add the gnocchi, reserved cooking liquid, marinara sauce and red pepper flakes to the skillet with the eggplant mixture and stir to combine.
• Transfer the eggplant-gnocchi mixture to a 9-inch oval or square baking dish. Sprinkle with the provolone. Bake on the top oven rack until hot and bubbling and the cheese turns golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Garnish with the fresh basil sprigs if using and serve.

GNOCCHI WITH EGGPLANT AND MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
• Cube the eggplant and toss it with the olive oil until evenly coated and spread them evenly on the lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with the salt. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes. Then quickly remove the pan from the oven and push the eggplant around with a wooden spoon so the cubes turn over. Then return the pan to the oven and roast for another 20 minutes or until the eggplant is lightly browned and collapsed. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
• Add the marinara sauce and roasted eggplant to a saucepan and warm over medium-low heat. You want the sauce to get heated through, but not boil or bubble.
• While the sauce is warming, make the gnocchi according to package directions and divide the cooked dumplings evenly amongst three or four bowls.
• Then add the cubed mozzarella to the sauce and stir for one minute so it gets tender but doesn't melt. Stir the sauce into the gnocchi and serve!

TOMATO-EGGPLANT GNOCCHI

Steps:

• Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over medium. Add eggplant, season generously with salt, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add tomatoes and simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened, 5 minutes. Return eggplant with any juices to skillet; season with salt. Add gnocchi in a single layer atop eggplant, cover, and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes (or, if using frozen, about 1 minute more). Sprinkle with basil and serve, topped with a spoonful of ricotta, more basil leaves, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.

EGGPLANT GNOCCHI (GNOCCHETTI DI MELANZANE)

Steps:

• Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, score the flesh in a deep diagonal pattern, salt them, oil them, and bake them in a preheated 400 F oven for about 20 minutes. When they are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh with a spoon, crumble the mixture by hand, and heat it over a brisk flame in a non-stick pan to drive off excess moisture.
• While the eggplant is baking and cooking, boil the potatoes, skin them, and rice them. Make a mound of the cooked-down eggplant, riced potatoes and flour on your work surface, and work the egg into it, together with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Make gnocchi 3/4 of an inch long and half that in diameter, and set them aside on a lightly floured surface while you prepare the sauce (set a pot of water to heat while you're at it).
• Cut the zucchini into rounds, and sauté them in olive oil with the garlic, thyme and oregano. Cover and simmer the vegetables for 10 minutes; in the mean time the water should have come to a boil. Salt it and add the gnocchi, while adding the shrimp and fresh parsley to the zucchini. The gnocchi will rise to the surface as they become done; remove them with a slotted spoon and add them to the sauce. Check seasoning and cook the gnocchi for a few minutes in the sauce, shifting them about in the pan by shaking it as if you were turning an omelet. Serve, garnishing the dish with finely sliced grilled eggplant if you want.

ITALIAN BAKED EGGPLANT WITH PARMESAN (PARMIGIANA DI MELANZANE)

Steps:

• Place a single layer of eggplant slices in a colander sitting on a plate and sprinkle with coarse salt. Cover with a second layer and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with remaining eggplant. Place a plate on top and add a weight to put pressure on the eggplant slices. Let stand at room temperature for about 1 hour.
• Rinse eggplant slices under running cold water to wash off all the salt. Pat dry on all sides with paper towels.
• Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge eggplant slices in flour on both sides and add to the hot oil, working in batches. Deep fry eggplant until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat; cook garlic and onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomato puree, 4 basil leaves, and salt. Cook, stirring often, until sauce starts to thicken, about 20 minutes. Remove sauce from heat. Discard garlic and stir in remaining 4 leaves basil.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Spread a layer of tomato sauce over the bottom of a baking dish. Cover with a single layer of eggplant slices. Top with more sauce, mozzarella slices, and Parmesan cheese. Continue making layers, a total of 3 to 5, finishing with tomato sauce and grated Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until heated through and bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 20 minutes before serving.

POLPETTINE DI MELANZANE AL FORNO (ITALIAN BAKED EGGPLANT AND PARMESAN BITES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Wrap each eggplant in foil and place on a baking tray. Bake until skin can easily be pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes. Slice each eggplant in half, discard seeds, and scoop out soft flesh; place flesh in a colander.
• Place colander on a plate; cover eggplant with foil and set a heavy object, like a plate with some cans, on top of the plate to squeeze out any excess liquid. Let stand for about 20 minutes, then chop the flesh, squeezing out extra water as you work.
• Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease baking sheet with olive oil.
• Combine chopped eggplant, egg, grated Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, mint, salt, and pepper in a bowl; mix well.
• Scoop up a small amount of eggplant mixture and roll into a ball between your palms. Roll in breadcrumbs and place on the prepared baking sheet. Continue making balls and rolling them in breadcrumbs until mixture has been used up.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes until golden brown, carefully turning balls after 20 minutes.