Deconstructed Eggplant Parmesan
This deconstructed eggplant dish is so easy to make and looks amazingly elegant.
Ingredients
- 2 Globe Eggplant, 3/4 inch dice ·
- Olive oil · 2 tablespoons
- Kosher or Sea Salt to taste ·
- Parmesan Cheese, shredded · 8 ounces
- Olive oil · 1 tablespoon
- Yellow Onion, diced · 1
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced ·
- Herbie's Chili flakes · 1 teaspoon
- 2 cups Red wine (Williamson Allure Meritage) ·
- Herbie's Italian Seasoning · 1 tablespoon
- Crushed Tomatoes · 1, 28 oz can
- Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese · 1 pint
- Basil leaves, cut into fine ribbons (chiffonade) · 4
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the eggplant with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast on a sheet tray until eggplant is golden brown and soft, about 30 minutes. Set aside.
To make the Parmesan Frico: Lower the oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle two tablespoons of the cheese into a roughly a 3 inch circle on a sheet tray fitted with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the cheese making sure to space them at least 2 inches apart so they don't spread into each other. Bake until they are golden brown and lacy, about 5 minutes. If not brown, cook longer checking every minute or so for doneness. Let cool completely.
For the Tomato Sauce:
Heat a heavy bottom sauce pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil, and when shimmering add the diced onion, cook for 3-5 minutes until softened, add the minced garlic and red chili flakes and cook another minute, and stir in the Herbie's Italian Seasoning. Add the red wine and cook until reduced by half. Add the crushed tomatoes and brown sugar. Cover and turn the heat down to low, and simmer for 40-50 minutes stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn't scorch on the bottom. Sauce should be just barely bubbling. Remove from heat and set aside.
To assemble and bake:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To 8, 4 oz ramekins add 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce and then cover with a layer of the eggplant and a spoonful of ricotta. Bake just until tomato sauce bubbles around the edges and ricotta takes on a little color 7-10 minutes. Top with chiffonade of basil and Parmesan Frico.
