EGGPLANT GRATIN {barefoot contessa}

By grinder

Ingredients

• Good olive oil, for frying
• 3/4 lb. eggplant, unpeeled, sliced 1/2” thick
• 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 extra-large egg
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. fresh grated Parmesan
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup good bottled marinara sauce

Details

Servings 2
Preparation time 15mins
Cooking time 45mins

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Heat about 1/8” of olive oil in a very large frying pan over med-heat. When oil is almost smoking, add several slices of eggplant and cook, turning once, until they are evenly browned on both sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Be careful, it splatters! Transfer cooked eggplant slices to paper towels to drain. Add more oil, heat and add more eggplant until all the slices are cooked.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together ricotta, egg, half-and-half, ¼ cup of the Parmesan, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

In each of 2 individual gratin dishes, place a layer of eggplant slices, then sprinkle with Parmesan, salt and pepper and spoon ½ of the marinara sauce. Next, add a second layer of eggplant, more salt and pepper, half the ricotta mixture and finally 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan on top.

Place gratins on a baking sheet and bake 25-30 minutes or until the custard sets and the top is browned. Serve warm.