Post by Amani on Oct 7, 2013 20:35:24 GMT -5
Savory Eggplant Baklava
This recipe is adapted from Isaac Miller of Maven in San Francisco. The three components can all be done ahead; assemble and bake the baklava the day of serving. These make a good hors d'oeuvre or appetizer. Store leftover baklava, well-wrapped, at room temperature for a day or two.
Eggplant filling
3 large globe eggplants, about 3 pounds
Kosher salt, to taste
2 tablespoons Herbes de Provence
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup walnuts
Honey syrup
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 pinch cinnamon
Roasted tomatoes
1/2 to 1 pound heirloom tomatoes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Leaves from 3 sprigs basil, finely shredded
4 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
Assembly
10 large sheets defrosted phyllo dough, about 1/2 pound (see Note)
1/4 pound unsalted butter, melted
3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
For the filling: Preheat the oven to 350°. Slice eggplants in half lengthwise and salt with 3-4 tablespoons salt. Let sit 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the herb oil by combining the Herbes de Provence, olive oil and garlic in a mixing bowl.
Rinse the eggplant thoroughly and wring out all the water. Place eggplant cut-side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Douse liberally with herb oil and roast until extremely soft, about 45-60 minutes.
When soft, scoop out the flesh and add to a food processor with the walnuts. Pulse until walnuts are broken down to the size of breadcrumbs, about 15 pulses. Taste, add salt if necessary, and set aside.
For the syrup: Combine the ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer and cook about 5 minutes to reduce by about a quarter; set aside.
For the tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 300°. Bring a pot of water to a boil and set up an ice bath. Core the tomatoes and score the skin. Blanch tomatoes for 10 seconds, then plunge into the ice bath. Peel the tomatoes, cut in half horizontally and squeeze the seeds out. Toss tomato halves in olive oil with basil and garlic. Place cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet pan lined with parchment or a silicone mat; season with salt and cracked pepper. Roast until tomatoes have reduced in size by half, about 2 hours. Remove from the oven, let cool, then cut into a total of 30 small pieces. Set aside.
Assembly and baking: Preheat the oven to 350°.
Unravel the phyllo sheets, cover with plastic wrap and then with a lightly damp towel to keep the sheets from drying out. Brush a 9- by 13-inch baking pan with melted butter. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo in the pan so the sheet is half in and half out of the pan; brush butter over the half of the top sheet that is in the pan. Fold that single sheet over on top of itself; brush with butter then place the next sheet on top. Repeat until you have 8 layers.
Spread 1/3 - about 1 cup - of the eggplant filling evenly over the phyllo. Top with one sheet of phyllo, half-in-half-out of the pan. Brush the half that is in the pan with butter. Fold over the other half and butter. Repeat this process with two more layers of eggplant separated by 1 sheet (2 layers) of phyllo, ending with an eggplant layer.
Top the eggplant with 4 more sheets of phyllo, buttered and folded (to make 8 layers) as you did for the bottom layer.
Refold and save the remaining phyllo sheets for another use. Wrap them well in plastic wrap, then in foil and refrigerate up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 9 months.
Use a sharp knife to cut any overlapping phyllo dough away from the edges of the pan. Cut the baklava lengthwise into 6 (1 1/2-inch-wide) strips; cut the strips crosswise into 5 (2 1/2-inch-wide) strips.
Bake 20-30 minutes; rotate the pan and bake another 20-30 minutes. The baklava should be golden brown and the top layers flaky and dry when you lift them.
Remove from the oven and evenly drizzle honey syrup over the top of the baklava; let sit until cool enough to handle.
Serve topped with a crumble of goat cheese and a roasted tomato piece.
Makes 30 pieces.
Note: If you happen to get the smaller sheets - such as the Athens 1-pound Twin Pack, which are about 9- by 14-inches - use a single sheet for each layer. You will need 20 sheets, but allow extra in case some of the sheets are torn.
This recipe is adapted from Isaac Miller of Maven in San Francisco. The three components can all be done ahead; assemble and bake the baklava the day of serving. These make a good hors d'oeuvre or appetizer. Store leftover baklava, well-wrapped, at room temperature for a day or two.
Eggplant filling
3 large globe eggplants, about 3 pounds
Kosher salt, to taste
2 tablespoons Herbes de Provence
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup walnuts
Honey syrup
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 pinch cinnamon
Roasted tomatoes
1/2 to 1 pound heirloom tomatoes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Leaves from 3 sprigs basil, finely shredded
4 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
Assembly
10 large sheets defrosted phyllo dough, about 1/2 pound (see Note)
1/4 pound unsalted butter, melted
3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
For the filling: Preheat the oven to 350°. Slice eggplants in half lengthwise and salt with 3-4 tablespoons salt. Let sit 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the herb oil by combining the Herbes de Provence, olive oil and garlic in a mixing bowl.
Rinse the eggplant thoroughly and wring out all the water. Place eggplant cut-side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Douse liberally with herb oil and roast until extremely soft, about 45-60 minutes.
When soft, scoop out the flesh and add to a food processor with the walnuts. Pulse until walnuts are broken down to the size of breadcrumbs, about 15 pulses. Taste, add salt if necessary, and set aside.
For the syrup: Combine the ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer and cook about 5 minutes to reduce by about a quarter; set aside.
For the tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 300°. Bring a pot of water to a boil and set up an ice bath. Core the tomatoes and score the skin. Blanch tomatoes for 10 seconds, then plunge into the ice bath. Peel the tomatoes, cut in half horizontally and squeeze the seeds out. Toss tomato halves in olive oil with basil and garlic. Place cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet pan lined with parchment or a silicone mat; season with salt and cracked pepper. Roast until tomatoes have reduced in size by half, about 2 hours. Remove from the oven, let cool, then cut into a total of 30 small pieces. Set aside.
Assembly and baking: Preheat the oven to 350°.
Unravel the phyllo sheets, cover with plastic wrap and then with a lightly damp towel to keep the sheets from drying out. Brush a 9- by 13-inch baking pan with melted butter. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo in the pan so the sheet is half in and half out of the pan; brush butter over the half of the top sheet that is in the pan. Fold that single sheet over on top of itself; brush with butter then place the next sheet on top. Repeat until you have 8 layers.
Spread 1/3 - about 1 cup - of the eggplant filling evenly over the phyllo. Top with one sheet of phyllo, half-in-half-out of the pan. Brush the half that is in the pan with butter. Fold over the other half and butter. Repeat this process with two more layers of eggplant separated by 1 sheet (2 layers) of phyllo, ending with an eggplant layer.
Top the eggplant with 4 more sheets of phyllo, buttered and folded (to make 8 layers) as you did for the bottom layer.
Refold and save the remaining phyllo sheets for another use. Wrap them well in plastic wrap, then in foil and refrigerate up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 9 months.
Use a sharp knife to cut any overlapping phyllo dough away from the edges of the pan. Cut the baklava lengthwise into 6 (1 1/2-inch-wide) strips; cut the strips crosswise into 5 (2 1/2-inch-wide) strips.
Bake 20-30 minutes; rotate the pan and bake another 20-30 minutes. The baklava should be golden brown and the top layers flaky and dry when you lift them.
Remove from the oven and evenly drizzle honey syrup over the top of the baklava; let sit until cool enough to handle.
Serve topped with a crumble of goat cheese and a roasted tomato piece.
Makes 30 pieces.
Note: If you happen to get the smaller sheets - such as the Athens 1-pound Twin Pack, which are about 9- by 14-inches - use a single sheet for each layer. You will need 20 sheets, but allow extra in case some of the sheets are torn.