eggplant dumplings

I have a thing with collecting cookbooks. I am always looking to buy the next popular one, the one everyone’s talking about, one that I have had on my list for ages… My latest purchase was a book I’ve had my eye on for a few months: Ottolenghi Flavor. Yotam Ottolenghi is an incredible chef that focuses on Middle Eastern flavored food. His dishes have such a simplicity to them while still being packed with flavor.

His latest book, Flavor, is entirely vegetarian which is one of the main reasons I bought it! I have been loving eating vegetarian lately. There’s something about fueling my body with all the veggies that makes me feel so good.

The first recipe I tackled in this beautiful book is his Eggplant Dumplings. When I was flipping through the pages, this one stood out to me because 1.) I love Eggplant Parm, 2.) the photo looked BEAUTIFUL, and 3.) it looked somewhat simple to make. And let me tell you, it checked all the boxes. It was an elevated version of the classic dish, very pretty if I do say so myself, and it couldn’t have been easier to whip together. Not to mention it was SO flavorful.

eggplant dumplings alla parmigiana

ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups dried breadcrumbs

  • 2 large eggplants, cut into 1 inch cubes

  • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • salt and pepper

  • 6 tablespoons whole milk ricotta cheese, plus more for topping

  • 2 1/2 oz grated parmesan cheese

  • 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped

  • 1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk

  • 4 1/2 teaspoons AP flour

  • 6 garlic cloves, crushed

  • 3/4 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped

  • (1) 28oz can whole peeled tomatoes, blitzed in a food processor until smooth

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste

  • 1 teaspoon sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • 3/4 teaspoon paprika

  • 2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped

  • 1 cup water

  • 1/3 cup kalamata olives, roughly torn in half

instructions

  1. Heat oven to 450F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Toss the eggplant with 5 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper to taste. Spread out onto the sheet tray in an even layer and bake for 30 minutes, tossing halfway through, until golden brown.

  2. Remove the eggplants from the oven and let cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, chop into a chunky mash and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the ricotta, parmesan, egg, egg yolk, flour, breadcrumbs, a third of the garlic, ½ cup of the basil, ¼ tsp salt, and black pepper to the bowl. Mix well.

  3. With lightly oiled hands, shape the mixture into 16 sixteen golf-ball sized dumplings.

  4. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add half of the dumplings to the pan and fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden and crispy all over. Transfer to a plate. Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan and repeat with the remaining dumplings. Set aside.

  5. Heat oven to 400F. To make the sauce, put the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil into a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the remaining garlic saute for 1-2 minutes, until fragant. Add in the blitzed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, red pepper flakes, paprika, oregano, 1 tsp salt, and black pepper. Cook for 8 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Pour in the water, bring to a simmer, then decrease the heat to medium and simmer for 10 more minutes.

  6. Pour the sauce into medium sized baking dish in an even layer. Top with the dumplings. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling. Remove from the oven and scatter the olives over top. Sprinkle with basil and more parmesan cheese. Serve with a dollop of ricotta, if desired.

Amy FieldsComment