Pages

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Eggplant Gratin from Ina Garten

Pin It I used to watch a lot of FoodNetwork. Since we moved from Vancouver (BC) to Seattle I watch it less and less. I think the Canadian version had more interesting shows (and chefs).
Nevertheless, there are a few rare shows that I watched then and continue to watch now. The Barefoot Contessa is one of them. I just really like her cooking. It's simple when it needs to be, and elegant when it should.


It is unfortunately that there hasn't been new episodes in a while. What' s going on? We want Ina back!!!!!!
So this is a recipe from an old episode. I made it several times. It is simply delicious. Let me warn you that although it is an eggplant dish, this is not a light dish. It is really rich and creamy, as many of Ina's recipes are.


To me, this recipe reminds me of a lasagna. In a way it is a similar concept. One layer of tomato sauce and one layer of creamy cheese sauce, with layers of eggplant in between. Simple and delicious. I like to bake them in individual soup bowls. It can also be assembled in advance and baked when needed.


Eggplant Gratin Recipe: adapted from Ina Garten (aka: The Barefoot Contessa)

3/4 pound eggplant, unpeeled, sliced 1/2-inch thick

1/4 cup ricotta cheese

1 large egg

1/4 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

salt and pepper

1/2 cup tomato sauce


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Shallow fry eggplants slices in hot oil until browned and cooked, about 5 minutes. Drain in paper towels.

In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta, egg, half-and-half, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
In each of 2 individual gratin dishes, place a layer of eggplant slices, then sprinkle with Parmesan, salt and pepper and spoon 1/2 of the marinara sauce. Next, add a second layer of eggplant, more salt and pepper, half the ricotta mixture, and finally 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan on top.
Place the gratins on a baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the custard sets and the top is browned. It will be very hot, wait a few minutes before serving.



9 comments:

Leila said...

Oi Rita, parece ser super interessante essa receita. esses bowls estao uma gracinha.
beijinhos

Cris said...

Your pictures are gorgeous... estou adorando... bjs

Anonymous said...

I love watching food channels too, hee ... the gratin looks gorgeous!~

eatme_delicious said...

Oh this looks so good! And I have an extra eggplant in the fridge that needs to be eaten...

test it comm said...

I really like the sound of an Eggplant Gratin and it looks nice and golden brown and good!

Ana said...

I love Ina too, her recipes are to die for! I can only imagine how good this dish must be, I love eggplant! (have been having it grilled during the summer and never get tired of it!)
I want Ina back too!!
Ana

Anonymous said...

Hi just reading your recipe for Ina's eggplant gratin and noticed that you only mension HALF of the marinara sauce. When do you put the other half in?

Rita said...

@Anonymous: It's half the sauce in each dish, so you end up using it all. Hope it helps!

Christy said...

This is great, my family loves eggplant lasagna, this seems even easier without the noodles! I just found your site via pinterest and am loving it!

Post a Comment

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!