Recipe By : Celestino Drago, Los Angeles restaurant
Serving Size : 2 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Italian
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 c Parmesan cheese -- grated
2 tb Bread crumbs
7 Japanese eggplants
2 Eggs
1 Zucchini
1 tb Butter
1 Sweet red pepper
-Tomato-Basil Sauce
1/4 c Olive oil -- +2 tb, separated
1 md Potato -- thinly sliced
1/2 tb Onion -- chopped
1/2 md Onion -- thinly sliced
3 c Diced tomatoes
3 tb Fresh basil -- chopped,
- up to 4 tb
Salt
1 ts Fresh oregano -- chopped
1 tb Butter
Salt
1 tb Flour
1 Tomato -- seeded and peeled
Il Timballo Di Melanzane Con Prea Di Pomodoro
(Drago's Eggplant Souffle in Tomato-Basil Sauce)
Peel eggplants, cut into cubes and set aside. Cut whole zucchini into
quarters. Remove centers and discard. Cut remaining zucchini into
cubes and set aside. Repeat process with pepper and set aside.
Heat oil in saute pan, add eggplant cubes, potato, onion, basil, and
oregano and season to taste with salt. Saute until golden. Add tomato
and cook approximately 10 minutes.
Pour eggplant mixture into food processor and blend until smooth. Add
Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and eggs into processor and blend
5 seconds.
Lace 8 (6 oz) timbals with butter. Cover bottom of cup with chopped
zucchini and pepper and fill rest of cup with processed eggplant
mixture. Cook in bain marie at 350°F for 40 minutes.
Remove timbals from oven and let standin warm place 15 minutes.
When ready to serve, spoon small amount Tomato-Basil Sauce on
individual serving plates, then flip souffle cups onto top of each
plate. Serve warm.
Makes 8 servings.
Drago serves these individual souffles as appetizers at his
restaurant. It's a wonderful use of eggplant, one of the most
commonly used vegetables in Sicily. It's essential that you use good
Parmesan- the cheese is what rounds out the flavor.
Tomato-Basil Sauce:
Place olive oil and onion in saucepan and saute until golden. Add
tomatoes, basil and season to taste with salt. Cook 10 minutes on low
heat.
Melt butter in separate pan, add flour and mix well. Add butter-
flour mixture to tomato sauce and cook few more minutes. Remove basil
leaves from sauce and blend sauce in blender until smooth and creamy.
