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Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Meatless & Delicious...Eggplant Ricotta Bake

This dish is one of my favorite "meatless" meals and it incorporates eggplant which I really love.  I stumbled across it on the "Proud Italian Cook" blog.  She has delicious Italian recipes on her site.  This recipe is kind of a cross between Greek Moussaka without the meat and Eggplant Parmesan without the "breading" or the "fried" part.  So, if you like eggplant, then this dish is definitely one you might want to try.  It is pretty simple to make too.  Who knows, if you've never tried eggplant before, this might just make an "eggplant lover" out of you!  Enjoy!

Voila...this one is mine -- so pretty!



Eggplant Ricotta Bake

Ingredients:
2 large eggplants, sliced lengthwise 3/4" thick (leave skin on)
1 lb. ricotta
3 eggs
1 cup grated Romano cheese
Fresh chopped basil
About 2 cups marinara sauce
Olive Oil (to brush on eggplant slices) and salt & pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 F.  Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast till tender and golden, about 20-30 minutes (you could also cook eggplant slices on a gas or charcoal grill until tender).

In a bowl, whisk ricotta, eggs, 1/2 cup of the Romano cheese, fresh basil, salt and pepper.

Lower temperature to 375.  Brush the bottom and the sides of an 8x8" square or oblong casserole dish with oil. Place 1/4 of the roasted eggplant down, spread with marinara, more eggplant, half of the ricotta mixture, repeat everything ending with ricotta on top. Spread remaining Romano over top. 

Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.  Serve with a side of pasta, if desired.  

***Important: Let cool for about 15 minutes so that everything sets and it isn't runny.
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9 comments:

  1. Anonymous1/18/12, 8:16 PM

    Wheres the beef??????

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  2. Gourmet Girl Cooks1/20/12, 8:57 PM

    Hmmmm...beef is highly overrated and SO yesterday! Hahaha!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Gourmet Girl Cooks1/20/12, 9:04 PM

    On a more serious note...I promise you, you will NEVER miss the meat in this dish...it is delicious!

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  4. Anonymous8/24/12, 9:41 PM

    Wow!! This looks amazing and since we both just went gluten/wheat free over a week ago, this looks like it'll be perfect for our new menu's !! Thank you!!!!
    Kate

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  5. Gourmet Girl Cooks8/25/12, 9:37 AM

    Thanks, Kate. I hope you like it. Sometimes it helps to get ideas or suggestions that help you realize that eliminating wheat doesn't have to be boring.

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  6. Mr.D9/1/12, 7:52 PM

    I made this tonight and it came out awesome. Added some whole milk mozzarella to the top too

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  7. Gourmet Girl Cooks9/1/12, 9:32 PM

    Glad you liked it Mr. D. I bet it was really tasty with the added whole milk mozzarella!

    ReplyDelete
  8. CyberSis12/9/12, 10:43 PM

    I made this tonight ... yummy "comfort food" and quick and easy to prepare. My hubby, who claims he doesn't like eggplant, took a second helping. :-) Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes, beautiful photos, and charming conversation ... and for figuring out how to make wheat/grain-free cooking and baking work!

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  9. Gourmet Girl Cooks12/9/12, 11:11 PM

    Thanks, CyberSis -- Eggplant is one of those things that, if prepared right...is really good. I also think the name "eggplant" turns some people off too! So glad you and hubby enjoyed it! :-)

    ReplyDelete

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