Monday, March 11, 2013

Revelation of the Week: Bake, Don't Sauté, Eggplant Slices

I made eggplant rollatini (slices of eggplant rolled with ricotta cheese inside and topped with marinara sauce) this weekend. I usually sauté the eggplant (about 1/3 of an inch thick), but that process takes time (even with two pans going) and uses a lot of olive oil (monetary concern, not health).

As I was getting ready to sauté, I was thinking, "this is such a pain in the butt." Then it hit me: bake the eggplant in the oven. Derrrrrrr! Why had I not thought of this time-, oil- and mess-saving measure years ago?


I brushed each slice of eggplant with a little olive oil, placed them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and baked them in a 350-degree oven until they were soft (about seven minutes).


The moral of the story? In the kitchen, there is usually a different (and sometimes better) way of doing something.

3 comments:

GiGi Eats Celebrities said...

Roasted eggplant is delicious! Always remember to salt the slices and then wash them off prior to cooking - although I am sure you know that! ;)

What did you season them with?

Anonymous said...

I freeze eggplant for winter use, re-assembling the eggplant with wax paper between slices for quick retrieval of the desired number of slices. Need to cook it right way then, as it is fragile when it thaws. However, since I try to eat mostly organic, this is a good way to prepare ahead when faced with an abundance in August and September. I have even frozen slices raw and that works fairly well also.

Chef Rob said...

GiGi - I actually didn't salt them and, most of the time, don't anymore; they usually turn out fine. Also, sometimes it's an issue of time. No seasoning on them, since there's plenty of flavor in the sauce they are served with (plus the cheese).

Anonymous - Thanks for the info.