I don't remember the first time I ate eggplant but I clearly remember the first time I ever saw an eggplant - on the plant. I was maybe three or four years old. It made a big impression on me to have remembered it so vividly. I was playing in my grandparents backyard, probably looking for bugs or odd looking stones or something. I wandered over to my grandfather's garden and there they were, these big white oval things hanging on some of the plants. They looked like big eggs. I was in awe of them. What the heck are these things! Are they eggs? Hey I was just a little kid.
I love eggplant and if you do too, you will really enjoy this post. I have included a number of recipes for eggplant dishes we personally have made, as well as family specialties and some that we need to try but haven't gotten around to. You'll see classics like - eggplant parmigiana, caponata, stuffed eggplant, polpette di melanzane and eggplant preserved in olive oil. So keep scrolling...
Here are a few varieties of white eggplants that are readily available as seed - Comet, Gretel, Casper, Clara and Raja.
But most people are only familiar with these types - Black Beauty, Black Magic, Italian, Graffiti, Rosa Bianca, Japanese, Chinese
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For the uncooked tomato sauce:
Make sure to get the freshest ingredients possible. You won't be disappointed. Don't even try this with pale supermarket tomatoes. If you don't grow your own tomatoes and basil, wait until you can find some heirloom tomatoes and good basil at a farmers market. This will be your go-to pasta sauce for special occasions every summer.
3 ripe home grown or heirloom tomatoes finely chopped. (Let their juices go into the sauce too.)
3 large garlic cloves finely chopped, not minced
1 nice handful of fresh basil hand torn into small pieces
1/2 cup of a good quality extra virgin olive oil
Optional - small hot chili pepper finely chopped
Pinch of salt and pepper
Marion Fusca Orazi’s Christmas Eggplant Spread
1 stick of celery with leaf
2 large eggplants
1 pound of pitted green olives
1 pound of black-pitted olives
1 chopped green pepper
1 small jar of capers
1/4 cup of sugar
1 1/2 quart of Cider Vinegar
Olive Oil
Salt
Chop celery and par boil it until half tender. Skin and cube the eggplants. Put the eggplant in a colander and salt heavily. Let all the bitter juices run out for about 2 hours. Put something heavy on top of the eggplant while it’s draining.
In a large pot – the biggest one you own… Put 1/2 inch of olive oil. Put the eggplant and capers, celery, olives, peppers, sugar into the hot oil and sauté 30 minutes. Add the cider vinegar in a little at a time until you have all of it in the pot. Let cook 1 hour or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Taste to make sure the eggplant is soft enough for a spread.
Put into canning jars. Serve with crackers or coarse bread…its great!!!!!!!!
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Baked Eggplant
1 large eggplant (about 1 1/2 lbs.)
2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium tomatoes
1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons Parmigiano cheese, freshly grated
Freshly ground pepper
- Slice the eggplant, sprinkle with salt and let drain for 1 hour. Rinse with water and pat dry. Heat broiler.
- Place eggplant slices on a broiler pan and brush with olive oil.
Broil for 2 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Continue until all eggplant slices are browned. Peel and core tomatoes. Cut into 1/4 inch slices.
Chop onion and sauté in olive oil for about 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350.
Chop onion and sauté in olive oil for about 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350.
Lightly oil a shallow baking dish and rub with garlic. Spread a single layer of eggplant in the baking dish.
Sprinkle with half of both cheeses. Arrange a layer of tomatoes and onion. Finish with any remaining slices of eggplant. Season with pepper. Sprinkle with remaining half of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
Bake in oven until top is lightly browned, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Sprinkle with half of both cheeses. Arrange a layer of tomatoes and onion. Finish with any remaining slices of eggplant. Season with pepper. Sprinkle with remaining half of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
Bake in oven until top is lightly browned, about 20 to 25 minutes.
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Caponata
2 medium sized eggplants
1/2 cup of olive oil
2 cups of celery, sliced thin
3/4 cup of onions, chopped
1/3 cup of red wine vinegar, mixed with 1 tablespoon of sugar
2 cups of drained canned Italian plum or whole pack tomatoes - chopped
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
7 large green olives, slivered - use Kalamata or Castelvetrano olives. Don't use grocery store pimento stuffed Spanish green olives in brine)
2 tablespoons of capers - rinsed
2 tablespoons of pine nuts - toasted
salt and ground pepper to taste
Cut eggplant into ½ - 1 inch cubes
Sprinkle cubes of eggplant with salt and set them in a colander in the sink to drain.
After 30 minutes, rinse them and pat dry with paper towels and set them aside.
Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in heavy skillet, add celery and onions and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently for 10 minutes until celery and onions are soft and lightly colored. With slotted spoon transfer to bowl.
Pour remaining 1/4 cup oil in skillet and over high heat saute the eggplant in it, stirring and turning about 8-10 minutes until they are lightly browned but not mushy.
Return celery and onion to skillet, stirring in vinegar and sugar, the tomatoes, tomato paste, green olives and capers and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, stirring for 10-15 minutes.
Take off heat and let cool.
Stir in pine nuts.
Serve at room temperature.
*** You can also throw in a handful
of golden raisins and use a little less sugar. Maybe add a little fresh basil
too towards the end.
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Caponata with Pasta
Classic southern Italian dish. This tastes best served slightly warm or room temperature but not hot. Great as a as a side dish or on bruschetta. And with pasta here (rigatoni or orecchiette work well)
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar,
2 tablespoon basil, chopped
1 tablespoon capers, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine,
1 large eggplant, cut into 1 " dice
3 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
2 tablespoon olive oil,
4 slices of pancetta - 1/4 " thick, diced
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes, or to taste
1 small red onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon rosemary, chopped, or to taste
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts 1/2 cup halved Sicilian green olives (not the ones in brine with pimentos) 1/2 cup water
Place a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta. Sprinkle the eggplant with three-fourths of the Kosher salt. Let drain for a bout a half hour.
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar,
2 tablespoon basil, chopped
1 tablespoon capers, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine,
1 large eggplant, cut into 1 " dice
3 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
2 tablespoon olive oil,
4 slices of pancetta - 1/4 " thick, diced
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes, or to taste
1 small red onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon rosemary, chopped, or to taste
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts 1/2 cup halved Sicilian green olives (not the ones in brine with pimentos) 1/2 cup water
Place a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta. Sprinkle the eggplant with three-fourths of the Kosher salt. Let drain for a bout a half hour.
Place a large nonstick pan over medium heat and when it is hot, add the eggplant. Cook until the eggplant is golden brown on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the eggplant from the pan, drain on paper towels, and set aside.
Reheat the sauté pan. Add the oil and pancetta; cook over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Add in the onion and cook 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Add the cooked eggplant, capers, olives, tomatoes, wine, water, pepper flakes, and the remaining salt, stirring well after each addition. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the eggplant is very soft and the caponata has a thick consistency, about 15 minutes.
Begin cooking the pasta; cook al dente, about 12 minutes. Drain and keep warm.
After cooking, finish the caponata with vinegar, basil, parsley, rosemary, and scallions. Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving over the cooked pasta.
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Grilled Eggplant and Mozzarella
1 large eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) slices
Salt
1/2 cup (125 ml) olive oil
3 Tbs (45 ml) balsamic or red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp (5 ml) dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
6 oz (175 g) mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
Sprinkle both sides of the eggplant slices lightly with salt and place between layers of paper towels. Let stand for 1 to 2 hours, rinse, and pat dry.
Combine the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Place the eggplant slices on a grill over moderate heat and baste with the oil mixture. Turn and baste frequently until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Top each slice with a slice of cheese and grill an additional 2 minutes, until the cheese begins to melt.
Serves 4 to 6.
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Eggplant "Pasta"
2 medium-large eggplants
4+ tablespoons olive oil
3 - 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
4+ tablespoons olive oil
3 - 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
4 small tomatoes, seeded and chopped (or canned Progresso whole Romas))
1/2 cup cream
About 1 cup worth of torn fresh basil leaves
4 small tomatoes, seeded and chopped (or canned Progresso whole Romas))
1/2 cup cream
About 1 cup worth of torn fresh basil leaves
½ cup freshly grated Romano cheese - don’t use that stuff in the green cans : )
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Slice the eggplant thinly lengthwise, about 1/4-inch thick slabs. Sprinkle each slice with salt and put them in a colander in the sink for about 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water and lay out on paper towels to drain.
Slice the eggplant pieces lengthwise into thin strips to resemble pasta.
In a large sauté pan heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and chili flakes and sauté for a couple minutes. Add the eggplant and toss to coat. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes. Add the cream and increase heat to thicken sauce. Finally add the basil and Romano cheese and toss to combine. Season with pepper - no salt needed as the eggplant will have residual salt from earlier. Serve immediately.
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Melanzane Involtini - Eggplant Rolls
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Ingredients
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 med eggplants
¾ cup ricotta cheese
¼ cup parmigian cheese
2 med eggplants
¾ cup ricotta cheese
¼ cup parmigian cheese
3 cloves garlicminced
½ cup fresh basil torn
16 oz can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and crushed
Salt
Pepper
½ cup fresh basil torn
16 oz can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and crushed
Salt
Pepper
Cut the eggplants into ¼ inch slices lengthwise.
Sprinkle with salt and let drain in a colander for 30 min.
Rinse off and pat dry
Brush with a little extra virgin olive oil and grill on both sides in a grill panl.
In a frying pan with extra virgin olive oil fry the garlic until lightly browned then add crushed tomatoes and black pepper.
Simmer for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile heat the oven to 375°
In a frying pan with extra virgin olive oil fry the garlic until lightly browned then add crushed tomatoes and black pepper.
Simmer for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile heat the oven to 375°
In a bowl mix together the ricotta, parmigian, basil, salt and black pepper.
Spread a little of the cheese mixture down the middle of each slice of eggplant and roll up.
Pour half of the tomato sauce into the base of an ovenproof dish and place the eggplant rolls on top, seam side down.
Pour over the remaining tomato sauce and top with the extra parmigiano.
Bake for 20 minutes.
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Pasta with Eggplant, Roasted Peppers and Feta
We like to use red peppers for pasta sauce when tomatoes are out of season. The roasted peppers add plenty of extra flavor to the pasta sauce, although you can use fresh if short on time. This dish is so versatile it can be served warm or cold.
2 cup dry red wine,
1 eggplant, medium-sized, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 pound farfalle pasta,
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tablespoon garlic clove, sliced thin
1/2 cup loosely packed basil leaves, chopped coarse
4 tablespoon olive oil,
2 roasted red bell peppers, skins and seeds removed, flesh chopped
5 thin slices prosciutto, cut into 1-inch squares
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
Put on a pot of salted water for the pasta. Meanwhile, heat half the oil in a small sauce pot. Stir in the onion, garlic, and red pepper. Cook slowly until the onions are wilted and soft, about 8 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until half the original volume. Remove from heat and reserve.
Add the pasta to the boiling water. While it cooks, heat the remaining oil in a sauté pan over high heat. Add the eggplant and prosciutto, stirring rapidly to coat evenly with oil. Sauté for about 8 minutes until the eggplant is browned. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the pepper sauce and the feta and mix well.
3 Drain the pasta. Return the drained pasta to the pot and add the pepper sauce. Add the chopped basil, and mix well.
3 Drain the pasta. Return the drained pasta to the pot and add the pepper sauce. Add the chopped basil, and mix well.
Serve immediately.
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Eggplant, Tomato and Mozzarella
Here, the traditional ingredients for eggplant Parmigiano are used to make a tasty panino. For a lighter version, grill rather than sauté the eggplant. The sandwich is delicious made while the eggplant is still warm. You can also marinate the sautéed eggplant with a bit of minced garlic, a few chopped basil leaves and a splash of balsamic vinegar, allowing you to assemble the panino another day.
1 eggplant
2 tablespoons olive oil
Focaccia with coarse salt or focaccia with red onion
1 tomato, sliced
2 thin slices Vidalia onion or other sweet onion
3 oz (90 g) fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
3 or 4 fresh basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
Trim the ends from the eggplant and thinly slice crosswise. Discard the end slices that are covered on one side with skin. In a sauté pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the eggplant and cook, turning once, until tender and golden, 5-7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.
Slice the focaccia in half horizontally. Lay the bottom half, cut side up, on a cutting board. Arrange the eggplant slices on the bottom half. Top evenly with the tomato, onion and mozzarella slices and the basil leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the top. Place the other half of the focaccia on top, cut side down, and press down firmly with the palm of your hand. Cut the panino in half or in quarters for easier eating and serve.
Makes 1 sandwich
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Spaghetti and Eggplant
For the eggplant:
2 medium eggplants
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1/2 lemon, juiced
6 fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium eggplants
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1/2 lemon, juiced
6 fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the spaghetti:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 fresh red chili pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
1/2 bunch fresh basil leaves
3 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed
Pinch sugar
1 tablespoon capers
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound spaghetti
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese
Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Slice the eggplants into 1/4-inch rounds. Toss them with 1/4 cup olive oil and some salt and pepper. Grill them until marks have formed and they are soft, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Place them onto a paper towel lined platter. Scatter over 2 cloves of sliced garlic, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the lemon juice, put on a few torn basil leaves, and season it all with salt and pepper. Set aside while you make the sauce.
Coat a large sauté pan with olive oil and place over medium heat. Cook the onions until they are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chili, garlic, olives and a few hand-torn basil leaves. Carefully add the tomatoes and a pinch of sugar; cook and stir until the liquid is cooked down and the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes. Add the capers, taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Lower the heat, cover, and keep warm.
Boil the spaghetti until it is al dente – 6 to 8 minutes. Drain and add the spaghetti to the tomato sauce. Pile onto a platter and top it with the eggplant slices. Garnish with more basil leaves and cheese.
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Baked Eggplant: Melanzane Al Forno
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped to yield 1/4 cup
Pecorino Romano Cheese
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
Place eggplant slices in a single layer on a lightly oiled baking sheet.
Brush each slice with the olive oil.
Stud each slice of eggplant with the sliced garlic, embedding the garlic as much as possible into the flesh of the eggplant.
Season with salt and pepper and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until soft and golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
When cool, sprinkle with parsley and cheese.
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Ciambotta
Source: "In Nonna's Kitchen - Recipes and Traditions from
1 large globe eggplant, firm and glossy
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 medium onions, chopped
3 sweet red peppers, seeded and cut in 1-inch chunks
2 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
A handful of fresh leaves of basil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 medium onions, chopped
3 sweet red peppers, seeded and cut in 1-inch chunks
2 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
A handful of fresh leaves of basil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Cut the eggplant in cubes, but do not peel it. Set the cubes in a large bowl covered with well-salted water and leave for 3 to 4 hours. Do not rinse or dry them, just drain and put in a deep pot with 3 tablespoons of the oil and a clove of garlic and cook over high heat, stirring and turning frequently, until they are pale and soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Discard the garlic clove.
In a separate heavy-duty skillet or nonstick saute pan, warm the remaining olive oil, add the onions, and saute until they are soft and limp, about 15 minutes. Stir in the sweet red peppers and cook over medium-high heat until they are almost tender, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add the cooked eggplant and the tomatoes and continue cooking for another 15 minutes. Just before serving, tear the basil leaves into pieces, sprinkle them over the mixture in the pot, and cook another 2 or 3 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper. You can make this dish at any point earlier in the day and leave it covered.
Serve at room temperature.
Serve at room temperature.
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Eggplant Stewed in Honey and Spices
by Ghillie Basan
I love eggplant in all its forms, but this is one of the best ways I've ever eaten it - meltingly soft, sweet, sour and spicy-hot. You can easily make this dish with baby eggplants, and if you like you can leave the stems attached - handy if you want to serve them as finger food. Also, if you have a grill you can easily cook them that way instead of in skillet - I imagine a smoky-charred flavor would add to the mix nicely.
2 large globe eggplants, stemmed and thickly sliced,
or 1 1/2 lbs (750g) baby eggplants, halved
salt
1/3 cup (80ml) (approx) olive oil
5 tablespoons (75ml) clear honey
juice of 1 large lemon
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon harissa or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
handful chopped fresh coriander/cilantro, for garnish
Lay the slices of eggplant out on a towel or cloth and sprinkle all the cut surfaces generously with salt. Let the eggplant disgorge for about 15-20 minutes, then wipe the pieces dry with paper towels.
salt
1/3 cup (80ml) (approx) olive oil
5 tablespoons (75ml) clear honey
juice of 1 large lemon
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon harissa or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
handful chopped fresh coriander/cilantro, for garnish
Lay the slices of eggplant out on a towel or cloth and sprinkle all the cut surfaces generously with salt. Let the eggplant disgorge for about 15-20 minutes, then wipe the pieces dry with paper towels.
Preheat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
Brush both sides of each eggplant slice with olive oil and cook in the skillet, not overlapping the slices, until well browned on both sides. You'll no doubt have to do this in batches.
Remove the slices to a plate and set aside.
In a bowl combine the honey and lemon juice with about 2/3 cup (160ml) hot water, stirring to dissolve.
Heat your skillet again, adding a little more oil if there is none left. Add the garlic and ginger, stirring for about thirty seconds, then add the cumin and harissa, stirring for about another thirty seconds.
Stir in the honey-lemon water and bring everything to a boil.
Lay the eggplant pieces into the pan, overlapping if needed, and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, turning the pieces as necessary to ensure all are coated with the sauce, until it has been reduced to a thick glaze and the eggplant pieces are completely soft (add a bit more water if the sauce reduces before the eggplant is ready). Taste for seasoning and add salt as needed.
Let cool, sprinkle with a handful of chopped cilantro/coriander, and serve at room temperature with chunks of fresh bread, preferably as part of a meze or appetizer spread.
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Greek-Style Stuffed Eggplant
3 (1/2-pound) eggplants
1 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
2 cups chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean ground lamb
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
3 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves
3 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into julienne strips
1 cup crumbled feta
1 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
2 cups chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean ground lamb
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
3 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves
3 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into julienne strips
1 cup crumbled feta
Halve 2 of the eggplants lengthwise, score their pulp deeply with a sharp knife, being careful not to pierce the skins, and with a grapefruit knife scoop out the pulp, reserving it and leaving 1/2-inch-thick shells. Sprinkle the shells with 1 teaspoon salt and invert them on paper towels to drain for 15 to 30 minutes. Cut the reserved pulp and the remaining whole eggplant into 1/2-inch pieces, in a colander toss the pieces with the remaining salt, and let them drain for 15 to 30 minutes.
Pat the shells dry with paper towels, brush them with 1 tablespoon of the oil, and broil them on the rack of a broiler pan, skin side down, under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat until they are tender, about 5 minutes.
In a skillet, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Saute the onion and the garlic until translucent. Add the ground lamb and the eggplant pieces, patted dry, stirring, until meat loses all color and eggplant is tender.
Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the parsley, mint, tomatoes, feta, and salt and pepper to taste, and divide the filling among the shells, mounding it. Broil the stuffed eggplants in a large flameproof baking dish for 5 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and golden.
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