Eggplant Ricotta Bites Recipes

Steps:

• Slice the eggplant and lay out on a paper towel lined baking sheet.
• Generously salt the eggplant on both sides and leave to sit for 30 minutes to soften and draw out excess moisture.
• Blot off the water and excess salt from the eggplant with additional paper towels.
• In a medium mixing bowl add the basil, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and one egg (beaten). Mix together.
• Picking two equal sized eggplant slices, sandwich about a tablespoon of the ricotta mixture between the slices and place on a wax paper lined baking tray.
• Freeze for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• In three separate bowls, place the flour, bread crumbs, and the remaining 3 eggs, beaten.
• Remove eggplant from the freezer and coat each first in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs. Coat once more in egg and a final time in the bread crumbs. Place back in the freezer while you prepare to fry.
• In a large saucepan, heat oil to 350˚F (180˚C). Fry eggplant in batches, 3 at a time, until nicely browned on all sides.
• Remove and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain off any excess oil. Sprinkle with salt. Serve with marinara sauce.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant and lightly browned. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Season with Italian seasoning, salt, sugar, and pepper. Simmer covered over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a large shallow dish, stir together the bread crumbs and flour. In a separate dish, whisk together the eggs and cream with a fork.
• Heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dip each eggplant slice into the egg mixture, then coat with breadcrumbs. Fry each slice until golden brown in the hot oil, turning once. Drain on paper towels.
• Spread a thin layer of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a large bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and parsley. Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cheese mixture onto one side of each slice of eggplant. Roll up, and place in the baking dish seam side down. Spoon the remaining tomato sauce over the rolls. Cover the baking dish with a lid or aluminum foil.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Garnish with additional chopped parsley before serving if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on two rimmed baking sheets. Brush lightly on both sides with oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast until eggplant is tender and golden, turning halfway through, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta, eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Brush an 8-inch square baking dish with oil.
• Lay a fourth of eggplant slices in bottom of prepared dish; spread with half of marinara sauce. Top with another fourth of eggplant; spread with half of ricotta. Repeat layers, ending with ricotta; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Bake until bubbling and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the raisins, sugar, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 cup water to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and let cook about 2 minutes, then cover and set aside.
• In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high. Stir in half the eggplant to coat evenly in the oil, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned in spots, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. (Eggplant should brown and tenderize but still maintain its shape.) Heat another 1/4 cup oil, then add remaining eggplant; season and repeat.
• While the eggplant cooks, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta. (You might not use all the pasta water.)
• Add another 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the shallot, pine nuts, capers, garlic and red-pepper flakes, stirring frequently, until the shallot is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the eggplant, along with the sliced basil and vinegar.
• Strain the soaked raisins, discarding the soaking liquid, then add the raisins to the eggplant mixture and toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper. The mixture should taste quite aggressively salty and tangy, but it will mellow when tossed with pasta and ricotta. (Eggplant mixture can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
• Add eggplant mixture, pasta and 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to the pot. Toss to coat over medium heat until eggplant is warmed, adding extra pasta water if necessary. Divide among shallow bowls, top with ricotta and additional torn basil and serve immediately. Pass with additional olive oil for drizzling, if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Sprinkle 2 teaspoons salt over eggplant rounds in colander; allow to drain at least 30 minutes. Rinse salt off the eggplant.
• Spread bread crumbs into a shallow bowl and beat egg in a separate bowl. Dip eggplant into egg, allowing excess egg to drip off the eggplant; press into bread crumbs until eggplant slices are evenly coated on both sides.
• Arrange coated eggplant on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
• Mix remaining 1 teaspoon salt with ricotta cheese in a bowl. Spoon ricotta cheese mixture onto each eggplant.
• Bake eggplant in the oven until cheese is heated through, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Place 1 eggplant slice onto each pita chip; top with a cherry tomato and basil leaf.

Steps:

• Oil a large bowl and set aside. (This is for the rising dough.)
• Add water to another large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle yeast and sugar over. Let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Stir 1/3 cup oil and salt into yeast mixture. Stir in flour until a soft, shaggy dough forms.
• If kneading by hand, turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Or knead in a stand mixer equipped with the dough hook for 3 to 5 minutes. The dough is ready when it's elastic but somewhat sticky and damp. If the dough seems unmanageable and won't come off your hands, add more flour, a little at a time.
• Place dough in the oiled bowl and turn to coat it lightly with oil. Cover bowl with a plate or plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place until dough has doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
• While dough is rising, make the topping: Combine eggplant and salt in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
• Mince half of the olives and slice the other half.
• In a small saucepan, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium. Add garlic, stirring constantly, and heat until opaque, about 1 minute. Add the minced olives and anchovies, if using. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, until the oil is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and pour oil over eggplant. Add thyme or oregano and toss until evenly coated. Set aside and cool completely before using.
• Lightly oil an 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet. Working on a floured surface, roll dough into an 11-by-16-inch rectangle, then transfer it to the oiled baking sheet and press the dough to the sides. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange eggplant slices evenly over dough, and scatter tomatoes and sliced olives on top. Drizzle any leftover oil from the bottom of the eggplant bowl on pizza.
• Bake until edges and underside are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Using a spoon, top with dollops of ricotta. Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper and basil leaves on top, and drizzle with olive oil. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• In a colander, toss the eggplant with 1 teaspoon of salt and let stand for 10 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels.
• Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the farfalle until just al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
• In a large, deep skillet, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the eggplant and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, about 5 minutes; transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Wipe out the skillet.
• Heat the olive oil in the skillet over moderately high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, oregano, crushed red pepper and a pinch of black pepper. Cook, crushing the tomatoes, about 3 minutes. Add the farfalle, the reserved cooking water and the eggplant and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the pasta is heated through, 3 minutes; season with salt.
• Transfer to bowls and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Top with the ricotta and basil and pass extra Parmesan at the table.