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Eggplant Custard Gratin (San Jose Mercury 3/9

Category: Vegetables

Author: The Savvybearcat

Date: 1/1/2007

Rating:

(3.0) by 1 users

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb Eggplant, cut lengthwise into slices (1/2 " thick)
Salt
Oil, olive, as needed
1 Onion, finely chopped
2 Garlic cloves finely chopped
1 lb Tomatoes, peeled seeded and coarsely chopped
1/4 lb Cheese, Ricotta
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Cheese, Parmesan freshly grated
1/2 cup Cream, Heavy
Pepper freshly ground
Basil leaves, fresh

Instructions:

Sprinkle the eggplant slices on both sides with salt, spread them out
on a tray and leave 30 minutes. Sponge dry with paper towels. In a
large frying pan, pour in olive oil to a depth of 1/4 inch and place
over medium heat. Fry the eggplant slices, in batches, in the hot oil
until golden and tender at the stem ends, turning once. about 10
minutes. Add more oil to the pan as needed. Remove and drain on paper
towels Pour off any oil. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In the same
frying pan, warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil over low heat. Add onions
and cook gently until softened, about ten minutes. Add garlic,
tomatoes and salt to taste. Increase heat to high. Toss until
moisture from tomatoes evaporates, about 15 minutes. Set aside. In a
mixing bowl break up ricotta cheese and eggs with a whisk. Add half
of the Parmesan, the cream, salt and pepper to taste. Whisk to
consistency of a pourable cream. Line a 6-cup gratin dish with half
the eggplant slices in a single layer, pressing them in place. Grind
some pepper over them. Tear basil leaves into fragments and scatter
over eggplant. Sprinkle lightly with half the remaining Parmesan and
the spread over the tomato mixture. Arrange the remaining eggplant
slices on top in a single layer, pressing firmly in place. If there
are a few extra slices, press them on top. Pour over the cheese-egg
mixture and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Put
into the oven, reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake until the
custard surface is swelled and golden with no depression in the
middle, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.