Eggplant Torta Recipes

Steps:

• Combine olive oil, onions and garlic in a nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat until onions are tender, about 3 minutes. Add the ground lamb. Stir for 1 minute. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, paprika and cumin. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer lamb to a bowl. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Cut the eggplants into 1/4-inch-thick slices crosswise. Place in a colander. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the salt. Set aside to drain for 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. Slowly grill over hot coals until very soft, about 5 minutes per side. Set aside.
• Grill the tomatoes until charred. Set aside to cool. Peel, core and seed. Combine the tomatoes, grated lemon rind, sugar, remaining salt, pepper and vinegar in a nonstick skillet. Simmer until sauce thickens, about 30 minutes. Set aside.
• Brush a round, 1-quart, 8-inch- diameter baking dish with the olive oil. Put the narrow end of one eggplant strip in the center of the dish. Fold it into the shape of the dish and let it hang over the side. Repeat with the other strips, overlapping by 1/4 inch, until the dish is completely lined. Spread a thin layer of the tomato sauce over the eggplant. Spread a layer of lamb over the sauce. Top with 1/2 cup of the feta cheese. Lay 4 eggplant strips over the cheese. Repeat with the sauce, more lamb and feta. Lay 3 strips of eggplant over the feta. Fold the overlapping eggplant over the top. Cover with foil and bake until tender, about 1 hour. Serve with fresh tomato chutney.

Steps:

• Prepare the pie dough. While it is rising, prepare the filling for the torte. Salt the eggplant slices on both sides, and let stand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees and make the tomato sauce.
• Rinse the eggplant slices, and blot dry with paper towels. Line baking sheets with foil, and oil the foil with olive oil. Place the eggplant rounds on the baking sheet, and brush the tops with olive oil. Bake in the oven until tender and beginning to color, 15 to 20 minutes. They will dry out on the surface but feel soft when you press on them. Remove from the oven, and fold the foil over the eggplant slices, enclosing them so they'll continue to steam and soften. Turn the oven down to 375 degrees.
• Generously oil a 10-inch spring-form pan or cake pan. Roll out two-thirds of the dough to a large, thin round, and line the pan, making sure that there is some overhang all the way around the edge. Beat the eggs in a large bowl, and use a bit to brush the bottom and sides of the crust. Remove 1 tablespoon for brushing the top crust, and set aside. Stir the tomato sauce into the bowl of beaten eggs, and combine well.
• Line the pastry with half the eggplant slices, overlapping them slightly. Sprinkle half the Gruyère over the eggplant, and top with half the egg and tomato sauce mixture. Sprinkle with half the Parmesan. Repeat the layers.
• Roll out the remaining dough, and place it over the top of the torte. Fold in the overhanging bottom crust and pinch the edges together, then pinch an attractive lip around the rim of the pan. Brush the top crust with the beaten egg you set aside, and make a few slits in it with the tip of a knife. Bake 50 minutes to one hour, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for at least 20 minutes before cutting. Serve hot or room temperature, cut in wedges.

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler.
• Lay the eggplants in a single layer on a baking sheet and broil them, flipping once or twice, until they are soft and blackened on all sides, about 15 minutes. (If you have a gas stove, you can do this by holding the eggplants with tongs over a burner on medium-high heat, turning them so they blacken on all sides.)
• Place the softened eggplants in a ziplock bag. Set aside for 10 minutes to steam (this makes the skin easier to peel). Peel the eggplants, discarding the skins, and use a fork to gently flatten the flesh.
• Put the eggs in a shallow bowl. Beat well and season with salt and pepper.
• In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Dip each eggplant in the beaten eggs, letting it soak for a second or two so that it is well covered with the egg. Season the egg-dipped eggplant with additional salt and pepper and place it in the skillet. Repeat with the other eggplant, making sure there's room between them in the skillet. Place 1 tablespoon of the crab (if using) on top of each eggplant, pressing it down with a fork.
• When the eggplants are crispy and browned on one side, 4 to 5 minutes, flip them over and cook until browned and crispy on the second side, about 3 minutes more. Transfer the eggplants to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• Serve hot or at room temperature, with fish sauce.

Steps:

• Halve onions through root end and thinly slice. Finely chop garlic. In a large heavy skillet cook onions with salt to taste in 2 tablespoons oil, covered, over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 15 minutes. Add garlic and cook mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until any liquid onions give off is evaporated. Add tomatoes with juice, sage, and thyme and simmer, stirring occasionally, until excess liquid is evaporated and mixture is very thick. Season mixture with salt and pepper and cool. Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush at least 2 shallow baking pans with some remaining oil.
• Cut eggplants crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick rounds and arrange in one layer in baking pans. Brush eggplant slices with some remaining oil and roast in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through roasting time, until tender and golden, about 20 minutes. Cool eggplant 5 minutes and transfer with a slotted spatula to paper towels to drain.
• Cut zucchini lengthwise into 1/3-inch-thick slices and roast in same manner until tender and pale golden, about 25 minutes. Cool zucchini 5 minutes and transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Quarter bell peppers lengthwise and discard stems, seeds, and ribs. Arrange peppers, skin sides up, in oiled baking pans and brush with some remaining oil. Roast peppers in same manner until tender and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Cool peppers 5 minutes and transfer to paper towels to drain.
• In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan melt butter over moderately low heat and whisk in flour. Cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes and whisk in milk and cream. Bring mixture to a boil, whisking, and simmer, whisking occasionally, 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and cool sauce 5 minutes. Whisk in eggs, two thirds Parmigiano-Reggiano, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. and lightly oil a 14- x 10- x 2 1/2-inch or other 3 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. In baking dish arrange half of eggplant, overlapping slices to form an even layer, and season with salt and pepper. Top eggplant with half of tomato mixture, spreading evenly, and pour about one third Parmigiano-Reggiano custard over it. Nestle half of zucchini in custard and season with salt and pepper. Top zucchini with half of peppers. Repeat layering, reserving half of remaining custard for topping. Pour reserved custard over final layer of peppers and sprinkle with remaining grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
• Bake torte in middle of oven until custard is puffed and golden brown, about 35 minutes. Let torte stand 10 minutes before serving.