Eggplant & Tomato Galette

A while back, we had made Andrea's Caramelized Onion & Zucchini Galette. It was delicious and, despite the fact that it had no meat, Nick said that he really liked it. The leftovers in particular worked well in his lunch (he never had time to heat up lunch and regularly ate leftovers cold). So, we knew we were galette fans. Immediately, we started to think up other ideas for galettes but they fell by the wayside as we became busier and eventually we forgot all about them...

We had an extra eggplant lying around and needed something to use it up. So often, eggplant is relegated to the side dish area of a meal, but we had a whole eggplant so a little more than side dish material. After some deliberation, this recipe came to be.

I happen to love it. The eggplant gives it enough "meaty" material that it's filling while the tomato and feta sauce give it a bright, tangy note that compliments the earthiness of the eggplant. The light crust of the galette dough keeps the meal from getting too heavy. They were yummy straight from the oven and eaten cold as leftovers (well, Nick says so).

Eggplant & Tomato Galette

Ingredients:
1 recipe galette dough (recipe follows)
1 recipe feta sauce (recipe follows)
1 small eggplant, sliced thin & sweat with salt
3-4 plum or on the vine tomatoes (we used Campari), sliced thin
salt
pepper
basil leaves, chiffonade, optional
feta crumbles, optional


Roll the galette dough onto parchment or wax paper to form a 10" circle. Place in the refrigerator to rest for 1 hour. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll (on a floured surface) to form a 16" diameter circle. Place the rolled out dough on a cornmeal dusted pizza peel or lined baking sheet.

To assemble the galette, start by spreading the feta sauce onto the galette dough, leaving 3 inches around the edges. On top of the sauce, arrange the eggplant in a slightly overlapping spiral pattern around the galette, moving towards the center until you have covered the surface. Evenly top with tomato slices and lightly salt and pepper the assembled galette.

Once assembled, gently fold over the edges of the dough to form a "crust." Start by folding a small portion of the dough onto the assembled portion and continue to pleat the dough until a circle has formed holding all the contents in place.


Bake the assembled galette in a 350 F oven for approximately 45 minutes or until the crust is slightly golden and cooked through.


Galette Dough:


Ingredients:
1 1/2 c flour
1 t table salt
1 stick butter diced
1/4 c sour cream
1/4 c ice water
2 t lemon juice

In a food processor, combine flour, salt and cold butter. Pulse 10 times (1 second each) to form crumbles. Mix in the sour cream, ice water, and lemon juice and pulse 10 more times, until the mixture starts to form a ball. Remove from the food processor and place on a silpat or parchment paper. Press out into a 10" diameter circle, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.


Feta Sauce:
adapted from this Food Network recipe


Ingredients:
2 c. plain yogurt
1/2 c. feta crumbles, well drained
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch cayenne
1 tbsp. dried mint leaves


Line a strainer with a layer of cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Place the yogurt in the strainer and refrigerate. Let the water drain from the yogurt until the yogurt has reduced to 1 cup. It will take about 2-3 hours.


Combine the feta, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt and cayenne in a blender and blend until smooth, adding more oil if needed. Add the yogurt and pulse to combine. Also add in the mint and blend until combined. This can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

Quick Fixin: Eggplant Pizzas

This meal is so utterly painless you'll wonder afterwards if you really cooked dinner. But the flavor will ensure your taste buds and your appetite that yes, you have.

The active cooking time for this dish is hmm...5 minutes? Ok, maybe 10 - if you use freshly grated cheese. It's just the type of dish that I've been looking for though, since the weather has started to warm. It's light, but flavorful. Served with a side salad (with fresh from the garden arugula) and some bread for dipping and you have the makings of a lovely meal.

Eggplant Pizzas
adapted from Julia's Kitchen Wisdom

Ingredients:
1 (or two) eggplant
salt
pizza seasoning
your favorite jar of tomato sauce
your favorite pizza cheese, grated  (I used a combination of Rustico Red Pepper and Cacia de Roma)

Preheat your oven to 400 F.

Cut the eggplant into 1/2" thick rounds and sprinkle lightly with salt. Lay on towels so that the towels will absorb the moisture the eggplants "sweat" out. Let them rest and sweat their moisture for 20-30 minutes.

After the 20-30 minutes, pat the eggplants dry and place them on an oiled baking sheet. Brush the tops with olive oil and sprinkle on your herbs. Cover the baking sheet with foil and bake for 20 minutes, or until tender.

Remove the rounds from the oven, top with a spoonful or two of tomato sauce and sprinkle on some cheese. Broil the rounds until the cheese has browned. Plate and serve.

Bridal Shower Fun & Eggplant Caponata

A few weeks ago, I traveled up to Pittsburgh for a bridal shower hosted by my fabulous bridesmaids. It was such a great time. Usually I end up running around so many places trying to see everyone in the short visits that I am home, but this time, they all were in one room (or house, really). It was awesome to see and talk with everyone. It was such a laid back shower and I appreciate the hard work and preparation that my family and friends did to make it that way. Thanks guys!
 
The food was amazing - homemade goodies made by my mom and talented bridesmaids. Here's just a sampling of the tasty items on the menu that included tea sandwiches, quiches, fruit, muffins, breads, yogurt and granola, bacon wrapped asparagus, cupcakes, pies, and champagne punch.

At the shower, I also received recipes from the attendees. I have a slew of new-to-me, tried and true recipes to try including:

Linguine and White Clam Sauce
Tex Mex Green Bean Salad
Baked Pineapple
Spaghetti Sauce
Ukranian Pyrohi (which was a recipe I had been looking for since getting the pasta maker)
Chicken Cacciatore
Meatballs
Buckeyes
Cranberry Relish (is it Thanksgiving yet?! I could also go for some Turkey Cranberry Ravioli)


Since Nick and I eat bread pretty often, we're always looking for new toppings or dips for bread. We've made Cannelli Bean and Basil Dip, Pesto Sauce, Bruschetta, Artichoke & Goat Cheese Dip, and more. So, this week, I decided to try the Eggplant Caponata recipe given to me by one of my friends at the shower. I figured it would be a nice deviation from our usual toppings. It ended up being a sweet and spicy (and tasty) topping that both Nick and I enjoyed.

Marianne's Eggplant Caponata

Ingredients:
1/2 c olive oil
1 large spanish onion, chopped in 1/2" dice
3 tbsp pine nuts
3 tbsp currants*
1 tsp hot chili flakes
2 medium eggplants, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 tbsp sugar*
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp unsweetened coca powder
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1/4 c basic tomato sauce
1/3 c balsamic vinegar

In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, pine nuts, currants and chili flakes and saute for 4-5 minutes until softened. 

Add the eggplant, sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa and cook for 5 minutes more. Add the thyme, tomato sauce, and balsamic vinegar. Bring the mixture to a boil. 


Lower the heat and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Garnish with mint and chili flakes. Serve spooned on crostini or with crostini on the side. 

I'll admit, she also gave a Basic Tomato Sauce recipe, but Nick did some grocery shopping alone while he was hungry and there was a BOGO on tomato sauce, so I had plenty to use in the pantry. Perhaps next time I make this, I'll give the sauce recipe a try as well.

*I couldn't find currants at the supermarket (when is currant season?) and so I substituted the currants and the sugar for some black currant jam I found. Next time I spot currants I'll give those a try, but this worked in a pinch. I added it when I was supposed to add the sugar, figuring they had already softened and cooked down when they were prepared for the jam.

I can't wait to try the other recipes I received. What's your favorite way to get new recipes, or your favorite new recipe?