Eggplant Casserole
2 servings
60 minutes
Eggplant casserole is a vibrant representative of Italian cuisine, harmoniously combining the creaminess of stracciatella cheese, the nutty tenderness of pine nuts, and the aroma of basil. The eggplants are first salted and baked, then smoked to give the dish a light smokiness. The eggplant filling with breadcrumbs and egg yolks is shaped into an appetizing patty that hides the softest stracciatella inside. The final touch is that the casserole is covered with breadcrumbs and baked until golden brown. This dish is a true delight for Mediterranean cuisine lovers, offering a rich flavor bouquet where sweet eggplant, creamy cheese, and crunchy nuts create a unique texture and richness. The casserole pairs excellently with fresh vegetables and light wine, turning the meal into a gastronomic pleasure.
1
Wash the eggplants, dry them, cut off the stems and ends, and slice the eggplants in half lengthwise.
- Eggplant: 2 pieces
2
Make grid cuts in the flesh of the eggplants without touching the skin.
3
Place the eggplants on a flat dish and rub sea salt into each half. Cover the eggplants with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Sea salt: 40 g
4
Rinse the salted eggplants and dry them with a paper towel.
5
Place the eggplants on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and send to an oven preheated to 220 degrees for 12 minutes. Then let them cool for 10 minutes.
- Vegetable oil: 30 ml
6
Cut the eggplants into random pieces.
7
Cut the shallots and garlic into large slices.
- Shallot: 2 pieces
- Garlic: 3 cloves
8
Heat vegetable oil in a pan and sauté onion and garlic until golden brown.
- Vegetable oil: 30 ml
9
After a couple of minutes, add the eggplants, season with salt and pepper, and fry while stirring for 4-5 minutes.
- Sea salt: 40 g
- Basil leaves: to taste
10
Add basil leaves, stir, and remove from heat.
- Basil leaves: to taste
11
Smoke the eggplants on cherry wood chips for 5 minutes. If you don't have a smoker, skip this step.
12
Pass the eggplants through a meat grinder with onions and garlic.
13
Add a spoon of breadcrumbs, 2 yolks, a couple of basil leaves to the eggplant mince and mix.
- Egg yolk: 2 pieces
- Breadcrumbs: 2 tablespoons
- Basil leaves: to taste
14
Place the minced meat on baking paper in the shape of a round patty with a diameter of 10 cm and a height of about 1 cm.
15
Place a tablespoon of stracciatella in the center of the cutlet and sprinkle with pine nuts.
- Stracciatella cheese: 40 g
- Pine nuts: 30 g
16
Layer the minced eggplant on top to completely cover the stracciatella and nuts. Shape the casserole into a hemisphere.
17
Sprinkle with vegetable oil, coat with breadcrumbs, and place in an oven preheated to 220 degrees for 12 minutes.
- Vegetable oil: 30 ml
- Breadcrumbs: 2 tablespoons
18
Place the finished casserole on a plate, sprinkle with dried tomato powder, the same powder from Parma ham, and garnish with basil leaves.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: to taste
- Parma ham (prosciutto di Parma): to taste
- Basil leaves: to taste