Puff Pastry with Eggplant, Roasted Tomato, Ricotta, and Other Italian Cheeses

Chef's notes

Puff pastry provides an elegant and functional base to serve parmigiana style eggplant. Flavorful cheese layer includes ricotta, shredded Italian cheese mix and shredded parmigiana. Fire roasted tomatoes complements this great appetizer without overpowering.
It can be assembled well ahead of company, heated through; finished when company arrives.

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Puff Pastry with Eggplant, Roasted Tomato, Ricotta, and Other Italian Cheeses

Ingredients

Preparing eggplant

2 large eggplant
Kosher salt for disgorging
Flour for dusting
Olive oil (or favorite cooking oil)

Tart Shell

1 Puff Pastry sheet
1 egg whisked with 2 teaspoons water
Grated parmigiana cheese

Cheese mixture

½ 15 oz. container of whole milk ricotta cheese
1 large eggs
2 cups, 8 ounces shredded Italian cheese mix separated
1 cup shredded parmigiana cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
1 can fire roasted tomatoes

Instructions

Eggplant can be prepared several hours earlier or the day before. Remove eggplant tips, peel, and cut into ¼-inch thick rounds. Lightly salt both sides and place them single layer on paper towels or layered a pasta strainer. Let eggplant sweat to remove their bitterness a half hour or more. Wipe both sides of eggplant with paper towels to remove residual salt and sweat.
Pour oil in a large pan over medium heat. Dredge eggplant in flour and shake off excess. Place them single layer in heated oil. When the top side of eggplant moistens, flip over. When both sides are tanned and cooked through, place them on paper towels. Repeat, adding more oil, adjusting heat as needed. This step can be done earlier as well.
Line a 10"x15" rimmed cookie sheet with parchment. Roll pastry to fit bottom and sides. Prick pastry with a folk or Docker roller tool. Place on the lined pan. Brush surface with egg wash and sprinkle with grated parmigiana cheese. See "Preparing Puff Pastry Shell". Bake at 400° until tanned, about 15 minutes.
In a bowl mix ricotta cheese, egg, 1 cup of the shredded Italian cheese mix, shredded parmigiana cheese and few grinds of black pepper.
To assemble, spread fire roasted tomatoes over pastry. Spoon half of ricotta cheese mixture over followed by a layer of ½ of the second cup shredded Italian cheese blend.
Overlap layer with half of the eggplant. Repeat with roasted tomato, spooning remaining ricotta mixture and shredded cheese. Finish by layering remaining eggplant, roasted tomatoes, and topping with shredded second half of the shredded Italian cheeses. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and bake in a 350° oven until heated through and top layer is browned. Cut into squares and serve.
Cut and serve.

No items found.

Puff Pastry with Eggplant, Roasted Tomato, Ricotta, and Other Italian Cheeses

Puff Pastry with Eggplant, Roasted Tomato, Ricotta, and Other Italian Cheeses

Ingredients

Instructions

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