Recipe for Eggplant and Potato Casserole with Smoked Ricotta
A delicious eggplant and potato flan enriched with the smokiness of ricotta. Perfect as a main dish or side, this crispy and creamy dish is enhanced with cherry tomatoes and basil, providing a Mediterranean touch. An exquisite idea for a special dinner!
Instructions
- Start by draining the fresh ricotta for at least 3 hours to remove excess water.
- Slice the eggplants and sprinkle them with salt, letting them rest for about half an hour; this will help remove the bitterness.
- Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes.
- Rinse the eggplants to remove the salt and also cut them into cubes.
- In a large pan, sauté the finely chopped onion in extra-virgin olive oil until it becomes translucent.
- Add the potato and eggplant cubes to the pan, together with the cherry tomatoes cut in half, a pinch of salt, and cook until the vegetables are well braised.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- In a bowl, sift the drained ricotta and mix it with the beaten egg and a pinch of salt until it becomes a homogeneous mixture.
- Add the braised vegetables and freshly torn basil to the ricotta mixture to enhance the flavor.
- Grease a baking dish with extra-virgin olive oil and pour the prepared mixture into it, leveling it well.
- Grate the smoked hard ricotta over the top, creating a uniform layer that will add crispiness to the surface of the casserole.
- Bake the casserole for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden and crispy.
Notes
To add a unique twist to the casserole, you can incorporate fresh mint leaves along with the basil in the vegetable mixture to give a surprising aromatic note to the dish!