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Papeton d'Aubergines
Eggplant came to Europe from India sometime around the eighth century, possibly with seeds carried by Jewish merchants. Often called the Jew's apple, the eggplant has played an important role in Jewish cooking since early times. The old recipes found in the Vaucluse, such as the Ladino almodrote de berenjenas, are present today throughout the Sephardic world in the Mediterranean. Although the eggplant is sometimes sautéed in this dish, I prefer roasting it over a fire to bring out the smoky flavor, and then chopping it into chunks with two knives, a technique I learned from Sephardic French cooks. You can also roast the eggplant in an oven then pulse it in the food processor. With the increasing number of vegetarians even in France, this dish is becoming very popular, "modernized" with pesto, crème fraîche, or anchovies, or covered with tomato sauce. A purist, I like to serve it the old way—simply, with a salad.
4 to 6 servings
3 large eggplants (about 4 pounds)
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
1 cup grated Gruyère, kashkaval, or mozzarella
1 sprig fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 sprig fresh oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 tablespoons bread crumbs or matzo meal
Freshly grated pepper to taste
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 6-cup gratin dish with some of the oil.
If grilling the eggplants over a gas stove, make small slits all over the outside. Using tongs, hold them over the open flame, rotating them every few minutes, until they are soft and collapsed. If roasting them in the oven, cut them in half lengthwise. Brush the cut sides with olive oil, and place them, cut sides down, on a baking sheet. Roast for about 30 minutes, or until very soft.
Place the cooked eggplant in a sieve over a large bowl, sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt, and let cool and drain for about 15 minutes. Peel, discarding the skin and any liquid that has accumulated, and, using two knives (see headnote), chop the eggplant in a sieve over a bowl.
Stir together the feta and Gruyère cheeses, the thyme, the oregano, 3 tablespoons of the bread crumbs, a few sprinklings of pepper, and all but a tablespoon of the remaining oil. Beat the eggs in a small bowl, and stir into the eggplant mixture. Then pour everything into the gratin dish. Brush with the remaining oil, and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and the remaining bread crumbs. Bake for an hour, or until golden on top.
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TagsFrenchJewishMediterraneanBreadSaladSauceSideBakeRoastVegetarian
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