Roasted Eggplant and Spinach Stacks

Equipment

• Oven
• Skillet
• Baking sheet

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant (1½ to 2 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon plus 3 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed with garlic press
• ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 small zucchini (6 ounces), coarsely shredded
• 1 bag (6 ounces) baby spinach leaves
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into paper-thin strips
• ⅛ teaspoon cracked black pepper fresh thyme leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 450°F. Trim the ends off the eggplant and slice it crosswise into eight even rounds.
2. 2Coat both sides of the eggplant rounds with one tablespoon plus two teaspoons of olive oil. Season with half a teaspoon of salt and arrange them in a large jelly-roll pan.
3. 3Roast the eggplant for 20 to 25 minutes until the slices are tender and deeply golden. Flip them carefully halfway through the cooking time so they brown evenly on both sides.
4. 4Warm the remaining teaspoon of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Stir in the crushed garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Don't walk away, as garlic burns fast and turns bitter.
5. 5Stir the shredded zucchini and a quarter teaspoon of salt into the skillet, cooking for two minutes. Fold in the baby spinach gradually, stirring for about three minutes until the leaves wilt and any excess moisture evaporates, then set the pan aside.
6. 6Combine the ricotta, grated Parmesan, and the final quarter teaspoon of salt in a small bowl, mixing until completely smooth.
7. 7Take the roasted eggplant out of the oven. Spoon the cooked spinach and zucchini mixture evenly over the four largest eggplant rounds, then cap each one with a second slice of eggplant.
8. 8Divide the ricotta mixture evenly, spooning it over the top of each assembled stack. Place the pan back in the oven for about five minutes to heat everything through and allow the cheese to soften and drape over the edges.
9. 9Use a wide spatula to carefully move each stack to a plate. Finish with the thin strips of plum tomato, a pinch of cracked black pepper, and fresh thyme leaves, then serve immediately.

Recipe Details