by Crescent Dragonwagon
Servings/Yield
4 servings
Eggplant Gratin with Ricotta Custard and Parmesan Ricotta Sorta-Salata: Ricotta Salata is a pleasing, mild cheese, firm enough to slice, pure white, amiable, with a bit more salty bite to it than creamy fresh ricotta. It’s not easy to find in some places, so you can fake it by
creaming together 1 cup part-skim ricotta, 2 ounces feta cheese, and 1 ounce neufchatel reduced fat cream cheesein the food processor. Not authentic, but it does the trick.
INGREDIENTS
Cooking Spray
2 Eggplants, Medium to Large
½ cup breadcrumbs, Stale, but not crisp-dry
2 cloves garlic
2 tbs. italian parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 ounces Neufchatel reduced fat cream cheese,softened
1 large egg
2 teaspoons cornstarch, or arrowroot
½ cup evaporated skim milk
gratings fresh nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
¼ lb. ricotta salata, crumbled (can be substituted)
8-10 Basil Leaves, Fresh
1.5 cups Basic Wintertime Italian Tomato Sauce,
See Recipe
2 ounces Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated
Method
PRE: slice eggplant, soak in saltwater
1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Spray a jelly-roll pan and a medium gratin dish with cooking spray, set aside.
3. Rinse the salt water off the eggplant slices under cold running water. Pat dry. Lay the eggplant out on the prepared jelly-roll pan. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake until softened, about 15 minutes. Remove from the bake until softened, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
4. Combine the breadcrumbs with the garlic, parsley, and oil in a food processor. Buzz, pulsing as needed, until the garlic and parsley are finely minced. Transfer the crumb mixture to a small bowl and set aside.
5. Without washing the food processor, make the binding custard: combine the neufchatel, egg, cornstarch, and 2 tablespoons of the evaporated skim milk in the food processor. Pulse until the mixture is fairly smooth, pausing from time to time to scrape down the sides. With the motor running, pour in the remaining evaporated skim milk. Season to taste with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
Add the crumbled ricotta salata and pulse to just combine. Do not puree, as you want chunks of ricotta salata remaining in the mixture.
6. Line the bottom of the prepared gratin dish with about half of the eggplant. Tear up the basil and scatter it over the eggplant. Top with the tomato sauce. Add another layer of eggplant, then pour the binding custard over it. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the custard, then cover with the breadcrumb mixture.
Bake until the crumbs are golden brown and crisp, about 30 minutes.
P 382-383
Passionate Vegetarian Cookbook