As You Like It! (Berkshire Eagle Column)
Of course I brought food for the freezer, including five 10-packs of Dan’s favorite meatballs, when we traveled to our kids’ house for some babysitting help because of work trips. How happy I was when we arrived and they told me that their sister-in-law, who lives about a mile away and has a brand new two-week-old baby, had asked if I could make some for her freezer! However, she has a number of food issues, including being gluten-free. No matter, though. I can always find ways to accommodate whatever is necessary, and the recipe from last week’s Berkshire Eagle column is just one possibility for that!
YOU CAN PLEASE EVERYONE (though maybe not all at the same time)
by Elizabeth Baer
I joke with a friend of mine that she eats vegan, except for dessert! She really does prefer to eat a fully plant-based diet, and yet desserts are her Achilles heel in those efforts. Regardless, she is so committed to respecting people’s food practices that she keeps notes in her phone, a habit I should adopt. Once she was making a dinner for a couple with so many food restrictions that she and I had a long conversation about possible desserts.
Care and respect for others means I will always honor my guests’ food practices, whether for medical, religious, ethical, or personal reasons. (It should be noted that certain people will never be able to eat in most people’s homes because the kitchen cannot ever be fully rid of every trace of a prohibited ingredient.) On the other hand, it is incumbent upon the guest to state their food practices, especially when asked. We once had a guest for dinner whom we had asked, and she offered no restrictions. I made a lamb stew which she picked at, eating very little. Months later we found out she was a vegetarian.
When I write recipes for this column, I do try to think of and propose possible substitutions for various food practices when feasible. Of course, a grilled steak can’t be vegetarian, but with most recipes there are so many vegetarian and vegan substitutes these days, it’s much easier to get creative in that regard.
I recently ran into an old friend who remarked that she was enjoying my column, and hoped for more vegetarian dishes from time to time. With that in mind, I decided to write about “eggplant-icotti” which uses eggplant instead of pasta, so it’s also gluten-free! As much as I love eggplant Parmesan, and even though it can certainly be made with gluten-free breadcrumbs, it takes a lot of time and effort. I won’t pretend this is a quick recipe, but it is easier than a pan of eggplant Parm.
For a gluten-free meal, serve over polenta (as in the photo) or your favorite brand of gluten-free pasta. And if you are feeding a mix of vegetarians and meat-eaters, it’s easy to add a grilled sausage or some meatballs for those who want. While this recipe can’t easily be vegan with the egg and all the cheese, know that I have offered and will continue to write about vegan recipes or vegan substitutions from time to time.
EGGPLANT-ICOTTI
Serves 6-8, can be halved; leftovers store well in the fridge
INGREDIENTS:
2 large eggplants, about 1¼-1½ pounds each, as cylindrical as possible
3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
¼-⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup ricotta
1 large egg, beaten
¾ cup shredded mozzarella, divided
½ cup grated Parmesan, divided
⅛ crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Several grind fresh pepper
2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce, store-bought or homemade
DIRECTIONS:
Cut the stem end and the blossom end from the eggplant. Cut a thin strip of mostly skin lengthwise off one side of the eggplant and discard. From there, cut as many lengthwise strips as possible, about ⅓-½ inch thick, ending with another strip of mostly skin to discard. Repeat with the second eggplant. You should end up with about 14-16 slices
On a platter or a cutting board, place one layer of eggplant on paper towel and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Continue stacking the eggplant slices, sprinkling with salt and layering paper towel in between and on top of the stack. You should have used about 2 teaspoons of salt. Place another platter or cutting board on top and weight it with cans or a heavy pot. Let sit for 30-45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°F and line two half sheet pans with foil. Lay the eggplant slices out in a single layer and brush lightly with olive oil. Flip the slices and brush the reverse sides. You probably won’t cover every bit of the eggplant flesh, but that’s fine. Bake for 20 minutes, turning halfway through.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, ½ cup mozzarella, ¼ cup Parmesan, remaining salt, crushed red pepper flakes (if using), and pepper. Stir to blend.
Once the eggplant comes out of the oven, lower the heat to 350°F. Allow to cool slightly so you can handle it safely. Take a slice of eggplant and place it on your work surface, short side facing you. Put a scoop of the ricotta mixture about an inch from the edge closest to you, and gently roll end to end, to make a cylinder filled with the ricotta mixture. If some ricotta is oozing out, try using a bit less on subsequent slices. Continue until you have used all the slices.
Try to choose a baking dish that will hold the eggplant rolls somewhat snugly in a single layer. Pour the tomato sauce into the bottom of the baking dish and spread evenly. Arrange the rolls in the sauce, which should come only partway up the sides. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan on top.
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes. Allow to cool at least for 10 minutes before serving.