Remember I mentioned eggplant would be showing up every so often? Well, here it is again. I continue to find other ways to prepare this veggie/fruit–it has seeds, does that make it a fruit? Hmmm.
This is still quite similar to the way I had prepared it in the past in that the eggplant is sorta stewed. I’m going to call this a ragout. I’m not completely sure that’s what it is, but I like the name and this is my blog so that’s the name it gets. The dish is a simple one, no complicated or fancy cooking skills required, but it does have a few steps if you choose to make it into raviolis. Alternatively, you could make the ragout and serve it over your favorite pasta. That would be oh so good too.
Eggplant & Tomato Ragout
2 shallots, sliced
3 large tomatoes, seeded & chopped
1 large eggplant, cubed
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/3 cp gin or wine
In a medium-sized pan, heat the oil and add the shallots; cook until translucent. Then add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes have soften. Season with salt, pepper and sugar.
Add the gin or wine (you can also substitute with stock) and ignite it to burn off the alcohol.
Add the eggplant, stirring well to coat all the cubes with the tomato puree. Cover with a loose-fitting lid, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 20 minutes or until eggplant is soft and creamy.
Set aside and prepare the ravioli.
For the ravioli I used Chinese wonton wrappers. Here’s the step-by-step action.
Work with a few wrappers at a time. Brush one side with water, these little wrappers have a lot of cornstarch on them to keep them from sticking to each other. I brushed the entire surface with water to get rid of the excess and also to moisten it so I could press them together.
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Drop about 2 tsps of filling in the center of the wrapper. Don’t overstuff them.
Top with a second wrapper and pinch the edges together. I don’t have a pasta or pastry cutter, I used a knife to trim off the edges. In my head that would help seal the edges together.
Once you’ve filled all the raviolis, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Make sure to add enough salt and oil to cook the raviolis. About 5 minutes or so (follow packet instructions) or until they float to the top. Drain and set aside.
I made a quick Bechamel sauce to top the raviolis, then laid them out in an oven-safe dish, topped them with the sauce and sprinkled some Parmesan. Then baked for about 15 minutes and broiled until the top was golden brown and bubbly. You can skip the bechamel altogether and simply serve the raviolis with the ragout that’s leftover.
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These were so light and delicious, I hope you’ll enjoy them. As long as I’m on an eggplant kick, do you have a recipe you love and want to share?
Cookingly yours,
Anamaris
Comments ( 7 )
Thank you for posting this recipe. The photos look amazing. Eggplant is my favorite vegetable and I'm always looking for new ways to make it. Thank you Thank you!
OMG that looks so good. I have some wonton wrappers in my freezer. I am so glad that I don't have to make pasta to do this. XD
Street & JB--I'm glad I could help you guys put a spin on eggplant, do let me know how it turns out if you try this.
I honestly just drooled on my keyboard. Since I have an incredibly picky husband, do you think substituting the eggplant for chicken or mushrooms would be just as good? Seriously, can we discuss that last photo? Delicious!
Either of those would work great, I really enjoyed the wonton as a noodle. They seemed somehow lighter than regular pasta. Now, I know you want to discuss that last picture because of that fab fluted pyrex. I found that little gem at a estate sale couple of months ago. I do believe I'm in love.
Looks delicious. Gin was the surprise ingredient for me.
Joan, I've been slacking on my gin consumption, what better use than to cook with it!