Italian Eggplant Aubergine Crepes Food

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) " CREPES" WITH SPINACH FILLING

Steps:

• Heat the broiler. Peel and cut the eggplant into eight 1/4-inch slices. Brush each slice with oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoons basil, salt, and pepper. Broil 5 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
• In a microwave-safe bowl, combine washed spinach and the water. Cook 3 minutes or until wilted. Rinse with very cold water and drain very well. Mix with ricotta cheese and the 1/2 cup Italian blend cheese.
• Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Roll 1/4 cup of mixture up jelly-roll style in each slice and place on top of the marinara. Pour on the remaining sauce and sprinkle with 1 tablespoons of the Italian cheese on each. Cover and bake 10 minutes. Remove cover and bake 3 minutes more to brown.

ITALIAN EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) CREPES

Steps:

• Cut eggplant lengthwise into thin slices.
• Sprinkle each side lightly with salt.
• Place in a colander weighted with a heavy plate and let stand one hour.
• Dip each slice on both sides in seasoned flour.
• Sauté lightly on both sides until golden.
• Add oil as needed.
• Keep warm.
• Mean while grate parmesan or romano cheese in food processor with steel blade.
• Combine with ricotta, eggs, garlic, salt and pepper.
• Add spinach and blend.
• Place several tablespoons of spinach mixture in center of crepe.
• Roll up and place seam sides down in a 13x9 inch baking pan.
• Top with tomato sauce.
• Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 15 minutes or until hot and bubbling.
• To prepare tomato sauce for eggplant crepes: Place vegetables in a food processor with steel blade.
• Process until finely chopped.
• In large saucepan, sauté vegetables in olive oil with garlic, basil, oregano and thyme until tender.
• Add remaining ingredients and simmer 20 minutes.
• Transfer to food processor or blender and process until smooth.
• Pour over eggplant crepes before heating in oven.
• Makes 2+1/2 cups sauce.
• Notes: When I'm in a hurry I will use one of the good home style Italian sauces with peppers and vegetables on the grocery shelf like Aunt Millie's or Classico, instead of making this sauce.

EASY SAUTEED ITALIAN EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Cut eggplant into thin slices. Drizzle slices on one side with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper.
• Spray a large saucepan with nonstick spray and heat over low heat. Place eggplant in the pan, seasoned-sides down, in a single layer. Drizzle remaining vinaigrette over the exposed sides. Add onion and garlic. Cover and cook until eggplant slices are lightly browned and tender, about 5 minutes per side.

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) AND ZITI PARMESAN

Steps:

• Sprinkle the eggplant with salt. Place the eggplant in a colander, and let it drain for 30 minutes.
• Rinse the eggplant, and pat it dry.
• Cook the ziti al dente according to the package directions.
• Drain and rinse the pasta, and set it aside. Combine the oil and garlic, and smear it on the eggplant slices.
• Then sprinkle the slices generously with pepper.
• Broil the eggplant slices about 4 inches from the heat, turning them once, for a total of about 5 minutes.
• (You may have to do this in 2 batches.) In a large bowl, combine the ricotta or cottage cheese, all but 2 tablespoons of the parmesan, the parsley, basil, oregano, and pepper flakes.
• Toss the cheese mixture with the ziti.
• On the bottom of a 2-= to 3 quart casserole, spread a thin layer of tomato sauce, add half the ziti mixture, then half the eggplant slices, then half the remaining tomato sauce. Repeat the ziti, eggplant, and sauce layers.
• Top with the reserved 2 tablespoons of parmesan.
• Cover the casserole, and bake it in a preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.
• Remove the cover, and bake the casserole for another 15 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.
• .

ITALIAN EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Puncture eggplants with a fork and place on a baking sheet.
• Bake 1 1/2 hrs or until soft - turn occasionally.
• Cool. Peel and dice.
• In a large bowl combine remaining ingredients.
• Add eggplant and marinate at least 2 hours.
• Note: I used fresh parsley, basil and oregano.

ITALIAN EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) CASSEROLE

Steps:

• peel and cube eggplant.
• cover with water and cook until done,drain.
• Cook rice using 1 cup water and1/2 teaspoon salt until all water is boiled away.
• set aside Saute meat in a large skillet.
• add onions, garlic and bell pepper.
• Cook 5 minutes.
• Drain off excess grease add eggplant, rice and soup to meat mixture and mix well.
• cook over a low heat until soup is well heated.
• spoon 1/2 of mixture in a 9x13 casserole dish and cover with half of cheese add remaining mixture and cover with the rest of the cheese.
• bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

ITALIAN MARINATED EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE)

Steps:

• Peel eggplant.
• Cut the eggplants into thin long strips, like french fries.
• Place in a colander, sprinkle with the salt, and set a plate and a weight on top. Set the colander in a large bowl and set aside for at least 2 hours.
• Squeeze as much water as you can from eggplant.
• Place water and vinegar to boil.
• Place eggplant in boiling water for 3 minutes only. Don't over cook or will be mushy.
• Drain in colander, set a plate and a weight on top. Set colander in a large bowl and set aside for at least 4 hours I do overnight.
• Squeeze any remaining liquid you can out of eggplant. Put eggplant in glass jar with fresh garlic cloves , fresh cut into big chunks hot peppers, fresh mint and good drizzle of olive oil. Shake up and refrigerate. Makes 1 quart. Enjoy!