Mediterranean Eggplant Casserole
There’s a quote that says “curiosity killed the cat”… I’d say that the cat died from a vibrant life!
I’m a curious person. I’m curious about almost everything. I’m curious about where people are from, their culture, interests and so on. I’m curious about learning new things everyday… When I go to bed and learned something new that day then it was a good day!
I’m also extremely curious about food – I’m sure you already figured that out… lol – and especially the ones I never tried before. My ultimate dinner date is to go to a place where I have no clue about their food (sadly the list is getting smaller and smaller) and try dishes for the first time. Now to me that’s fun!
There was a “fruit” that I never had when I grew up and it’s eggplant also called “aubergine” in French. If you wonder why I put the word “fruit” in brackets, it’s because eggplants are the same as tomatoes. They are botanically a fruit but we treat them as a vegetable – botany class 101… lol!
My first encounter with this “fruity-veggie” was in my early 20s’. I had Moussaka a few times at Greek restaurants but it never really turned my crank if you know what I mean… Years ago, I thought that if I tried to cook with eggplants I might like it but somehow never really developed a taste for it or perhaps never really created the right recipe for it. Sadly eggplants weren’t my thing until one day…
When living in Toronto, I went to a Persian restaurant and by curiosity I tried one of their dishes called Baba Ghanoush. My reaction was “Oh My!” and that was it! I had to try to cook with eggplants again! Although in today’s episode I won’t feature my Baba Ghanoush recipe, I actually have another one that uses eggplants and I have to say… mmm, it’s very yummy! It’s my Mediterranean Eggplant Casserole! The combination of nutty flavor with cheeses, spices, meat, cream and more, makes this recipe the Ultimate Comfort Food!
Yes it takes a while to make and has a few steps to it but there’s a moment in life when spending extra time is so worth it (see UPDATES)! That’s the case with this Mediterranean Eggplant Casserole recipe. I don’t mind starting the process around 4ish in the afternoon to enjoy this scrumptious meal around 6!
If the time is well planned while the eggplants are sitting for 30 minutes, you start cooking the beef mixture then drain it in the colander. You go back to the eggplants, pat them dry, prep them and put them in the oven while continuing with the beef mixture back to the skillet, prepping the panko & cheese mixture. After removing the eggplant slices from the heat, you start the cream sauce and while it’s cooking, you start to assemble. I would say that in less than 1 1/2 hours you have your Mediterranean eggplant casserole done! Deep breath… that’s all I have to say!
Since Baba Ghanoush, creating recipes using eggplant evolved and here are a few you should try; Eggplant Rollatini, Chicken Sorrentino, Eggplant Burgers, Pisto Manchego, Pasta alla Norma, Stuffed Eggplant, Ratatouille, etc.
It’s an awesome Mediterranean Eggplant Casserole recipe with amazing flavors and by the time you sit down at the dining table, every bite will make you want more… that’s guaranteed! I’m glad that my “curiosity” drew me back to try a dish with eggplants again… I’m a happy kitten!
Bon Appétit!
UPDATES: Skip steps 1 & 5 and place the sliced eggplant directly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly brush on olive oil and sprinkle on some ground sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Transfer to the preheated oven (400ºF) and bake for 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and proceed with the recipe.
Here are some more delicious casserole recipes for you to enjoy…
– Turkey Tetrazzini
– Southwest Beef Casserole
– Frankie’s Macaroni Casserole
– Tuna Casserole
– Hungarian Beef Goulash
– Hamburger Helper Copycat
and for more amazing beef recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Beef
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Mediterranean Eggplant Casserole
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Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants, washed and sliced to 1/4-inch thick
- 2 tbsp. ground Himalayan sea salt, or as needed
- 3 tbsp. olive oil or more if needed, divided tips & tricks
- 1/2 large red onion (about 1 1/4 cups), finely chopped
- 1 large poblano pepper, seeded, ribs removed and finely chopped
- 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
- 3 large cloves garlic, pressed
- freshly ground black pepper, divided, to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- 3 cups (24 oz.) marinara sauce, such as Barilla® or any good quality sauce see Recipe
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning see Recipe
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar, such as demerara (substitute palm sugar) *optional
- 1 cup Panko® breadcrumbs
- 1 1/2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped tips & tricks
- 1/2 cup Grana Padano cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup Asiago cheese, grated
- 1 1/2 cups 35% heavy cream
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated tips & tricks
Directions
- Lay paper towels on a large cutting board or baking sheet before placing eggplant slices on a single layer. Sprinkle enough salt over to cover each slice; let them sit for 30 minutes. (see Footnote for Updates)
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-heat, add 1 tbsp. oil. When it gets hot, add onions and sauté for 2 minutes. Add poblano pepper and sauté for 2 minutes. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Add garlic and season with freshly ground black pepper; cook for 1 minute.
- Transfer the meat mixture to a colander to drain; leave it for 5 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400ºF/200ºC
- Gently but firmly, dab eggplant with paper towels to extract water.
- Transfer eggplant slices to a lightly greased baking sheet lined with foil. Brush them with oil to cover and crack on some freshly ground black pepper.
- Transfer to the preheated oven and cook for 5 to 7 minutes; remove from the heat and set aside.
- Transfer drained beef mixture back to the skillet and set the heat to medium. Add marinara sauce, Italian seasoning and sugar; stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs with parsley; stir and set aside.
- In another bowl, combine Grana Padano with Asiago cheese; set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine heavy cream and paprika; whisk to blend and cook until reduced to a cup.
- Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking dish and add a layer of eggplant slices (about ⅓) followed by ½ beef mixture, and then ½ Parmesan mixture; repeat for the next layer finishing with eggplant slices.
- Pour over heavy cream mixture and sprinkle with Mozzarella cheese; top with panko mixture.
- Transfer to the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes or until brown.
- Remove from the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
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