Skip to main content

Eggplant Ricotta Rolls over Beef Ragu

This is a spectacular dish and every bit as impressive as any lasagna.  If you are short on time, just use your favorite pasta sauce combined with some browned beef as the base and skip the more complex ragu.


Beef Ragu:
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
1 lb ground beef
2 Tbsp fresh time and/or rosemary (I mixed the two), minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
1/2 cup half and half, light cream or milk
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cups beef broth

1 large eggplant

1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
4 oz fresh mozzarella, finely diced
1/4 tsp herbed de Provence or Italian herbs
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
fresh parsley leaves, minced, for garnish (optional)

First make the ragu by sautéing the onion in a dash of olive oil in a Dutch Oven or large pot.  Cook for about 5 minutes and then add the ground beef.  Brown the beef for about 8-10 minutes.  

Now add the drained tomatoes and turn heat to high. 
Cook the tomatoes and beef, adding a dash of oil again if necessary - you want frying, not boiling, to caramelize the tomatoes and develop their flavor fully. Add the herbs and garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes. 
Add the half and half and cook it down until it is almost all evaporated, stirring often.
Shift the browned meat to one half of the pot and oil the other half.  Add the tomato paste and cook for a few minutes, stirring almost constantly.
Slowly incorporate a portion of the beef and its juices and oils into the tomato paste as you cook. 
After about 10 minutes, you should have incorporated all the beef. 
Add the broth and the reserved tomato liquids.  Bring to a gentle boil.  Stir and reduce to a lazy simmer.  Cook uncovered while you prepare the eggplant, stirring every so often.

Preheat grill to high.  Slice the eggplant into six thin (1/4-inch) slices. 
Spray the eggplant with oil and grill the oiled side for four or so minutes, until slightly browned and grill marks form.  Spray the uncooked side with oil and flip the eggplant slices.  Grill another four or so minutes until browned and grill marks form.
Remove eggplant to a sheet pan in a single layer.
Mix ricotta, Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese with the herbs and pepper in a bowl.
Divide the cheese mixture among the eggplant slices, placing a portion right in the center of each slice.  Roll each slice up.
Preheat oven to 375F.  Pour half the ragu into an oiled 13x9-inch casserole. 
Nestle the eggplant slices in the ragu bed, spacing evenly. 
Dot the slices with the mozzarella cheese and scatter the Parmesan on top.  Season with red pepper flakes.
Bake about 30 minutes, until brown and bubbly.  Garnish with fresh parsley.
Serves 4.

Cook's Note:  If you prefer a bit of a drier Ricotta filling, you could add an egg to the Ricotta to bind it up a bit.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Umami Beef Short Ribs Samin Nosrat

This is the penultimate prep for beef short ribs.  Based on the superb documentary by Samin Nosrat, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, this is the most umami rib dish you will ever have.  Its the combination of red miso and soy sauce that marinates and flavors the beef - give it a long time to work right - that means overnight in the fridge; it's worth the planning ahead. 6 beef short ribs on the bone, about 3-4 lb 1 large sweet yellow onion, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 jalapeño pepper, minced 4 cloves garlic, halved Marinade: 1/4 cup red miso 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup pale dry sherry or Mirin rice wine 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp honey 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt the ribs generously with coarse salt and let rest overnight in the refrigerator in a resealable plastic bag. Whisk together the marinade.   Pour into the plastic bag and allow to marinate on the counter for about 2-3 hours, or again overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat...
Post a Comment
Read more

Haddock Roasted with Aioli and Tomatoes

This is a simple yet suculent way to roast fish. Here I use haddock, but you could use most any fish including cod or tilapia, or as I did on the west coast, wild-caught Rockfish (delicious). The tomatoes offer a fresh flavor complement to the fish slathered with a rich aioli topping. This is a quick, easy way to prepare fish on a busy weeknight. 1-1/2 lb haddock fillet (Captain’s cut preferred - thicker), patted dry Aioli: 1/4 cup good real mayonnaise 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp favorite hot sauce 1 pint grape tomatoes 1/2 tsp dried dill weed Fresh parsley, minced, for garnish Lemon wedges for garnish Preheat oven to 375F. Oil a medium baking dish (about 7x10-inch). Lay haddock fillet in dish. Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard and hot sauce in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, cover the fillet evenly with the aioli sauce. Toss the tomatoes with a dash of olive oil and scatter them over the fish. Season with dill and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Bake fish for about 20 mi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Braised Salmon Hong Ya

This is a warm hearty dish you can enjoy when you crave a warm rich seafood soup or stew. I learned this approach to salmon from my co-grandparent Hong Ya who taught me many wonderful dishes from China. It's kind of like an Asian seafood chowder. The nori seaweed brings out the earthy flavors of the sea, which pair so well with the salmon. The sesame oil and chili flakes sharpen the dish a bit against the silky curtains of the wilted spinach. Beautiful as it is delicious, this dish is simple, yet so rewarding. 1/2 shallot, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1-inch fresh ginger, minced Liquids: 1 cup chicken broth (I used Better than Bouillon) 1/2 cup dry white wine 1/2 cup water 1 tsp black soy sauce 1 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp toasted sesame oil Dash hot pepper flakes (I used Korean chili flakes), or to taste 1 lb salmon bites, (1-inch, skinless cubes) 5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup Kizami Nori seaweed strips Sauté the shallots in a dash of neutral oil over m...
Post a Comment
Read more