Italian Eggplant Aubergine Crepes Food

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.

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 BAKED EGGPLANT WITH PARMESAN (PARMIGIANA DI MELANZANE)

Steps:

• Place a single layer of eggplant slices in a colander sitting on a plate and sprinkle with coarse salt. Cover with a second layer and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with remaining eggplant. Place a plate on top and add a weight to put pressure on the eggplant slices. Let stand at room temperature for about 1 hour.
• Rinse eggplant slices under running cold water to wash off all the salt. Pat dry on all sides with paper towels.
• Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge eggplant slices in flour on both sides and add to the hot oil, working in batches. Deep fry eggplant until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat; cook garlic and onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomato puree, 4 basil leaves, and salt. Cook, stirring often, until sauce starts to thicken, about 20 minutes. Remove sauce from heat. Discard garlic and stir in remaining 4 leaves basil.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Spread a layer of tomato sauce over the bottom of a baking dish. Cover with a single layer of eggplant slices. Top with more sauce, mozzarella slices, and Parmesan cheese. Continue making layers, a total of 3 to 5, finishing with tomato sauce and grated Parmesan cheese.
• Bake in the preheated oven until heated through and bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 20 minutes before serving.

EGGPLANT CREPES RECIPE - (4/5)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425. Arrange eggplant slices on nonstick baking sheets in single layer. Spray both sides of eggplant slices w/ cooking spray. Bake eggplant 10 mins.; turn and bake 5-10 mins. or till tender. Cool. Reduce oven temp. to 350. Combine spinach, ricotta and parm. cheese; mix well. Spray 13 x 9 baking pan w/ cooking spray. Spread spinach mixture evenly on eggplant slices; roll up slices. Place rolls, seam-side down, in prepared pan. Cover dish w/ foil; bake 25 mins. Remove foil; sprinkle rolls w/ Gruyere cheese. Bake, uncovered, 5 mins. or till cheese is melted. Serve w/ tomato sauce.