5 July, 2016

Julia Child’s Eggplant/Brinjal Pizzas (Tranches d’aubergine á l’italienne)

For Pizza, I have my girls and their father too for that matter drooling. So when I said Piazza they were thrilled.

The first one I Baked was Julia Child’s Eggplant/Brinjal Pizzas (Tranches d’aubergine á  l’italienne). Not that they were happy Hubby quietly ate, elder one tasted and the younger one refused.

Not that they were happy Hubby quietly ate, elder one tasted and the younger one refused.

Julia Child’s Eggplant/Brinjal Pizzas

So don’t know if I will be making the Tranches d’aubergine á  l’italienne  again but if I do I will be increasing the spice quotient. This I made as a snack but can be made as an appetiser for a party.

I just happened to choose Pizza as my theme for BM and then kept wondering what to make. When tagged me on Pinterest with her pizza board. I was in pizza heaven. Julia Child’s Eggplant/Brinjal Pizzas (Tranches d’aubergine á  l’italienne) </a>that Pari had pinned kept beckoning me. Thanks to two huge brinjals that my father had brought.

Print Recipe

Eggplant/Brinjal Pizzas

Pizza need not be the regular dominos fare. This can be pizza too. Not much appreciated at home.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time1 hr 10 mins

Course: Baked, Brunch, Main Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 Brinjal I used the big one that we use to make bharta
• 1 Tablespoon Salt
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil for brushing
• 2 Teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 10 basil leaves cut into chiffonade strips or long strips (optional)
• 1/3 Cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 Cup Mozzarella
• Chilli flakes for sprinkling
• a!For the Sauce:
• 2-3 Teaspoons olive oil
• 3 Nos. Garlic cloves very finely chopped
• 2 Cups Tomatoes peeled and diced
• 1/2 Teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 Teaspoon Oregano

Instructions

• Make ¾ inch thick slices of the brinjal.
• Apply salt and put the brinjal slices on a kitchen napkin. The salt will marinate and remove the water content in the brinjal.
• After about 30 minutes the brinjal needs to be baked at 190°°C so preheat the oven after 15 minutes.
• Make the sauce as the brinjal is marinating.
• Heat the olive oil and sauté the finely chopped garlic. Do not let it brown.
• Add the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and oregano and let the sauce cook on low flame until the sauce thickens. Using the fork mash the tomatoes with a fork as it cooks.
• Use water a few tablespoons at a time as the sauce cooks, keeping it hot by simmering at very low heat until it is needed.
• After 30 minutes, wipe the brinjal dry. Grease a baking pan arrange the brinjal slices on it.
• Brush the tops of the brinjal with olive oil, and sprinkle with dried Italian seasoning.
• Roast the brinjal about 25 minutes at 180°Cor till the toothpick pierced in the centre goes in through and through. The slices should not become mushy and lose their shape.
• When brinjal is done remove brinjal from the oven if you have the option to broil, turn it on else like me bake.
• To assemble the slices spread a few tablespoons of sauce on the top of each brinjal slice, sprinkle with thin basil slices (if using) and top with a generous amount of cheese.
• I baked at 180°C till the cheese melted took about 10 minutes (I think).
• Serve hot, with red chilli sprinkled on top.

Notes

Next time I will do the roasting of the brinjals on the gas on a Tawa/skillet. I will have better control and will take lesser time.