Shared by Nechama and Anat Rivlin
Shared by Nechama and Anat Rivlin
Baked Eggplants in Tomato-Pepper Sauce
Yield: 6 servingsTime: 1 hour 45 minutes, plus drying time
Baked Eggplants in Tomato-Pepper Sauce
Yield: 6 servingsTime: 1 hour 45 minutes, plus drying timeFamily Journey
Vilnius, LithuaniaJerusalem
Tel Aviv
Israel’s late first lady Nechama Rivlin learned this Sephardic recipe from the family of her husband, Israel’s 10th president, Reuven Rivlin. In the 19th century, the Rivlin family immigrated to Jerusalem with students of the Vilna Gaon, a rabbinical scholar. In Jerusalem, dishes from Ashkenazi and Sephardic communities were prepared side by side and at times shared among neighbors, as this one likely was.
Before frying the eggplant slices, Nechama would salt them and let them rest on the windowsill to draw out excess moisture, which helps them absorb less oil during frying. You can also do this on the kitchen counter if you don’t have windowsill space. When choosing an eggplant, look for one that feels light for its size (that means it has fewer seeds) and has shiny, taut skin. If available, opt for an heirloom variety.
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants (about 1½-2 pounds total) sliced into ¼-inch pieces lengthwise
- Kosher salt
- Neutral oil, for frying
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 egg, beaten
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- ¼-½ Italian long hot pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small can (6 ounce) tomato paste
- 1 cup water
- Juice of ½ lemon (optional)
Preparation
Step 1
Place the eggplant slices in one layer on two paper towel-lined sheet pans. Sprinkle the eggplant slices with 1 teaspoon of salt, flip the eggplant over, and sprinkle an additional teaspoon of salt on the other side of the slices. Set the pan aside (ideally in direct sunlight) for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours. Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels on both sides to remove the excess moisture and salt, and place the eggplant on fresh paper towel-lined sheet pans.
Step 2
Heat ½ inch of oil in a wide pan over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Place the flour in a wide bowl, add ½ teaspoon of black pepper and ½ teaspoon of salt, and mix well. Place the beaten egg in a second wide bowl.
Step 3
Dredge a piece of eggplant in flour on both sides, dip it in the beaten egg, and then in the flour again to coat both sides. Gently place the eggplant in the hot oil and fry it for 6 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden on both sides. Transfer to paper towel-lined sheet pans. Repeat the dredging and frying with the remaining eggplant slices, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
Step 4
Prepare the sauce: Add all the sauce ingredients, except for the tomato paste and water, into a small pot over medium heat. Cook the sauce for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the garlic has softened. Add the tomato paste and water, and stir well. Bring the mixture to a simmer and remove from the heat.
Step 5
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange the eggplant slices in a 9x13-inch baking dish and pour the sauce over them. The eggplant should be almost completely covered with sauce. Cover the dish with a lid, or seal with a layer of parchment paper and aluminum foil on top. Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 50 minutes. Remove the cover from the dish, add the lemon juice (if using), and bake for 10 more minutes, until the top is nicely browned. Serve immediately.
This recipe first appeared on the website of Asif: Culinary Institute of Israel. Find more Asif recipes here.
