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Eggplant Ricotta Bake

February 12, 2008

Originally posted 12/23/07. Updated 02/12/08.

This is a recipe that I first saw cooked on TV, on Everyday Food. I’m always looking for vegetarian recipes that are not pasta-based! They seem so few and far between.

You can make this dish with regular olive oil, but lately I’ve been finding the spray version to be most convenient. It’s easier to control the amount of oil you’re drizzling, too.

My one caveat is that this dish really highlights the flavor of the eggplant — it’s not a traditional eggplant parm, where the breaded, fried eggplant slices have a much more muted flavor.

And since I have been asked this question by several friends already: No, my kids did not eat it. But it was on their plates, and they saw me and my mom eat it with gusto. Sometimes that’s as good as it gets.

Eggplant Ricotta Bake
Adapted from Everyday Food

2 large eggplants, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
olive oil spray (I use Pam)
15 oz. part-skim ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
black pepper to taste
2 c. marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 450° F.

Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil, and spray lightly with olive oil spray. Arrange eggplant in a single layer on each sheet, overlapping as little as possible. Mist again with oil oil spray. Roast in the oven until eggplant is soften and very lightly browned, about 20 minutes. (If slices are getting too brown on the bottom, you can flip them mid-way.) Leave the oven on!

While the eggplant is roasting, combine ricotta, eggs, half of the Parmesan, oregano, garlic powder, and pepper. Set aside.

Grease a 9×13 baking pan with non-stick spray. Layer eggplant, cheese mixture, and sauce (I make 2 layers of each), ending with sauce. Top with remaining Parmesan.

Bake, covered with foil, for 20 minutes, then uncover. Broil for a few minutes to brown the cheese on top. Let set for 15 minutes before serving.

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Filed under: Veggie Mains

Tags: Eggplant Ricotta Bake, eggs, Everyday Food, recipe, sauce, TV, vegetarian