Eggplant Zuccotto

Name: Eggplant Zuccotto
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: Eggplant 2.2 lbs; Coarse salt 4 ¼ tbsp; Type 00 flour 1 ½ cup; Peeled tomatoes 2 cups; Garlic 1 clove; Basil 10 leaves; Extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Pecorino cheese grated 1 oz; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese grated 2 tbsp; Breadcrumbs ½ cup; Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp; Basil 5 leaves; Peanut seed oil 4 ¼ cups

575

Calories per serving

Vegetarian

Energy Kcal 575
Carbohydrates g 30.6
of which sugars g 5.9
Protein g 8.2
Fats g 46.7
of which saturated fat g 9.67
Fiber g 4.7
Cholesterol mg 7
Sodium mg 3380

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Serving: 8 persone
Cost: Low
Note + 2 hours to drain the eggplants and 2 hours of rest in the refrigerator

PRESENTATION

The eggplant zuccotto is a very unique dish, definitely very beautiful to look at, inspired by the shape of the sweet zuccotto. It is known that eggplants are a pillar of Sicilian cuisine, and in this recipe, many Sicilian flavors are indeed present. Most of the ingredients are the same found in eggplant parmesan, but they are assembled differently, yet releasing the same aromas. The original presentation is largely due to the mold used to make the zuccotto, a concave mold generally made of aluminum used also for preparing many semi-frozen desserts. Serve your eggplant zuccotto as an appetizer, or as a side dish perhaps accompanying it with slices of toasted bread and you will amaze your guests with this truly spectacular summer dish!

INGREDIENTS

575

Calories per serving

Ingredients for a 6 1/2 inch zuccotto: Eggplant 2.2 lbs (1 kg); Coarse salt 4 ¼ tbsp (60 g); Type 00 flour 1 ½ cup (200 g)

for the tomato sauce: Peeled tomatoes 2 cups (500 g) -; Garlic 1 clove; Basil 10 leaves -; Extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp (30 g) -; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste -

to enrich: Pecorino cheese 1 oz (30 g) - grated; Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese 2 tbsp (30 g) - grated; Breadcrumbs ½ cup (60 g); Extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp (20 g); Basil 5 leaves

for frying: Peanut seed oil 4 ¼ cups (1 l)

Preparation

How to prepare Eggplant Zuccotto

To prepare the eggplant zuccotto, start with the preparation of the eggplants. Wash the eggplants well 1, trim them, and cut them into slices lengthwise 2, then cut them into fairly small cubes, about 3/4 inch 3.

Place the eggplant cubes in a colander in layers 4, alternating with handfuls of coarse salt 5. Then place a plate on top and then a weight 6 for about 2 hours, so the eggplants release their water and lose the bitter taste.

At this point, start preparing the seasoning. In a large pan, brown the halved clove of garlic 7, then add the peeled tomatoes 8, season with salt and pepper, and let it cook for 30 minutes, covering with a lid 9 and stirring occasionally.

Once the eggplants have lost their water 10, rinse them under running water to remove all the excess salt 11 and dry them with a kitchen towel 12.

Then flour the eggplant cubes and sift them to remove the excess flour 13. Heat the oil until it reaches a temperature of 340°F, then fry the floured eggplants a little at a time, until they become golden 14. Drain them with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate covered with paper towels 15, to remove all the excess oil.

Continue this way until all the eggplants are done. In another pan, pour 1 1/2 tbsps of oil 16, add the bread crumbs 17 and toast them, stirring continuously and being careful not to burn them 18.

At this point, remove the garlic from the sauce and add the basil 19. Pour the eggplants into a bowl and add the tomato sauce 20, then add both grated Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino cheese 21.

Add the breadcrumbs as well 22, mix everything and add a few more hand-torn basil leaves 23. Line a zuccotto mold with plastic wrap and pour in the mixture you just prepared 24.

Press lightly with a spatula to compact the mixture 25 and cover with plastic wrap 26. Let it rest in the refrigerator for at least two hours, then unmold it and serve at room temperature 27.