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Lets Start Cooking
by Stephen Ruffin
Eggplant Crepes
Serves 6-8
It’s hard to believe Spring is here, though I wonder what happened to winter. At this time of year my menu ideas turn to the fresh vegetables that will soon be showing up in our local markets. For those of you that don’t know, Philipstown Market on Rte. 9 has an amazing assortment of fresh vegetables.
Eggplants have always been a favorite of mine. I grew up eating them at holidays and special family dinners. Actually it wasn’t until I moved up north that I realized that other people ate mashed potatoes with turkey instead of eggplant.
For those of you that aren’t acquainted with the eggplant, it’s very versatile. One of the things to remember when working with the eggplant is that they are full of water. For this reason it is important to salt them prior to cooking. Salting draws out the moisture making the eggplant firmer when cooked.
For the recipe below, I’ve sliced the eggplant as thin as I could. I call these crepes because they are wrapped around the filling much like a crepe. The eggplant adds a great richness to any dish and with this one, the marriage of eggplant with the mushrooms and ricotta filling together with the contrast of the tomato sauce is wonderful.
The first thing to do is slice the eggplant as thin as possible. Try to get them to approximately ¼ inch in thickness. Do not try to bend them at this point as they may break. Only after salting will they achieve flexibility.
After slicing the eggplant into thin slices, place them on a sheetpan and lightly sprinkle them with salt. Set them aside and wait approximately 30 minutes before filling. After 30 minutes, remove the eggplant and blot the excess moisture off with paper towels.
Eggplant Crepes
4 Medium eggplants, cut into ¼ inch thick slices lengthwise. About 6-7 pieces per eggplant. Salt and Olive Oil
Mushroom-Cheese Filling
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 large Onion, minced
¾ Pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
¼ Cup (about) dried mushrooms, soaked in ½ cup warm water 30 minutes and drained well (reserve liquid) coarsely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces ricotta cheese
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
3 Green onions, chopped
1 Egg
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves or ¾ teaspoon dried, crumbled ½ Teaspoon chopped fresh oregano or 1/8 tsp. dried, crumbled. ½ Teaspoon chopped fresh mint or 1/8 tsp. dried, crumbled.
Tomato Basil Sauce
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Large Onion, minced
1 Large Garlic clove, minced
1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh basil leaves or ½ teaspoon dried, crumbled.
½ tsp. dried oregano
3 cups tomato sauce
Salt and Freshly ground black pepper
6 ozs Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
Place eggplant on cookie sheet and sprinkle lightly with salt. Set aside for 30 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels.
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Brush large baking sheet with olive oil. Lightly brush 1 side of eggplant slices with oil. Arrange ¼ of eggplant slices oiled side down on prepared baking sheet. Bake in batches until softened, about 5 minutes.
For filling: Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over very low heat. Add onion, cook until golden, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to high, add fresh mushrooms and sauté until lightly browned. Add dried mushrooms with liquid and cook until moisture has lightly evaporated. Let cool. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Combine ricotta, Parmesan, Romano, green onion, egg, basil, oregano and mint in a large bowl and beat well. Blend in cooled mushroom mixture.
For Sauce: Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet over very low heat. Add onion, cook until golden, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover, increase heat to medium, add garlic, basil and oregano and stir. Blend in tomato sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil. Let boil until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Grease shallow large baking dish. Spread about 1 tablespoon filling over each piece of eggplant, leaving about 1-inch border at thicker end. Starting at narrower end, roll up jelly roll style. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread sauce over eggplant rolls. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Cover with foil for the first 30 minutes. Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese begins to change color, about 45 minutes.
These crepes can be served as a side dish or a main course. If you have any questions regarding this recipe, please contact me at www.letsstartcooking@aol.com.
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