Farmers Market Report: What to buy and what to bake – Eggplant

As mentioned when we looked at heirloom tomatoes, San Mateo County is plentiful when it comes to farmers markets.  In fact, this past Thursday it was San Carlos’ Hot Harvest Nights that caught my attention.  More to the point, it was the eggplant piled high that really caught my attention.

How did I know they were good eggplants?

1. The deep purple color had a glossy shine.
2. It was firm to the touch and hefty for its size.
3. The caps and stems were fresh and green.

Are you wondering what to bake with this beautiful veg?  Hands-down, it is going to be a baked eggplant dish, but first…a bit of preparation.

Eggplants are full of water, and you want to remove the excess before anything else.  This will allow the eggplant to remain firm while cooking.  Also, many people feel that salting an eggplant allows the bitterness to be drawn out.  This is a misnomer.  If your eggplant is bitter, it's because it's old or not a good eggplant.  (Refer to the list above, and in addition, do not purchase eggplants that have dents, "rust" spots, or generally don't look fresh.)

Chop the stem.  Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise.  Cover the eggplant's sponge-like flesh with salt.  Let it sit for 45 minutes to one hour.  You should see some liquid beading on the surface of the flesh.  Rinse the eggplant in plenty of water to remove the salt, firmly squeeze each half in your hand to draw out as much moisture as possible, and then pat dry with paper towels.

Onto the recipe… 

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch semi-circles
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 small tomatoes, chopped
• 1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 3/4 cup tomato pasta sauce
• 5-6 leaves of basil, shredded
• 2 teaspoons of oregano, chopped
• Crusty bread, optional

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Brush eggplant semicircles with olive oil on both sides, and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, tomatoes and spinach. Cook and stir for a few minutes until fragrant, and the tomatoes have released their juices. In a medium bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, and 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Set aside.
3. Place the eggplant in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with the spinach mixture. Spoon the cheese mixture over the spinach, and spread into a thin layer.  Pour the tomato sauce over the cheese layer. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese over the top. Sprinkle with shredded basil and chopped oregano.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until heated through and the eggplant is easily pierced with a fork.
5. Let cool for 5 minutes. 
6. Serve with crusty bread.