Jacques Pepin Eggplant Tomato Gratin Recipes

MACARONI BEAUCAIRE

Steps:

• To cook the macaroni, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a pot. Add the macaroni, and stir until the water returns to a boil, so the elbows do not stick to the pan.
• Cook until just tender, from 10 to 20 minutes (depending on the manufacturer). Remove about 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid and put it in a serving bowl large enough to hold the macaroni. Drain the elbows in a colander. To the reserved liquid in the bowl, add the olive oil, grated cheese, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Mix well. Add the drained macaroni and the chives, and mix well again. Set aside.
• To make the garnish, heat the canola oil in a large skillet. When hot, add the eggplant slices in one layer, sprinkle them with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and saute 2 1/2 to 3 minutes on each side, until soft and nicely browned. Set aside.
• Reserve the six nicest slices of eggplant and half the tomato slices, and arrange the rest of those vegetables to cover the bottom of a gratin dish measuring 14 by 10 inches. Distribute the macaroni evenly on top, and arrange the reserved eggplant and tomato slices in an alternating pattern over the macaroni. Sprinkle with the shredded cheese.
• Put the gratin in a 400-degree oven for about 20 minutes (25 to 30 minutes if the dish has been refrigerated), until the cheese melts and the macaroni is heated through. Serve immediately.

GRATIN OF EGGPLANT AND TOMATO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Trim (but do not peel) the eggplants, and cut them lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices. (You will have about eight slices.)
• Coat the bottom of a jelly roll pan or roasting pan with the corn oil. Lay the eggplant slices in a single layer in the oiled pan, and then immediately turn them over in the pan so they are lightly oiled on both sides.
• Sprinkle the slices with the salt, and bake them for 15 minutes. Then turn the slices carefully with a large metal spatula (they will be soft), and bake them for another 10 minutes. Set the eggplant aside in the pan, and let it cool to lukewarm.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, thyme, and olive oil.
• Arrange alternating slices of eggplant and tomato in a 4- to 6-cup gratin dish, overlapping the slices as required to fit them all into the dish. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly on top. (At this point, the dish can be covered and refrigerated for up to 8 hours.)
• When ready to cook the gratin, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the gratin for 20 to 25 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and heated through, and the crumb topping is nicely browned. Serve immediately.