Roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes and Feta
Eggplant is one of those vegetables that people often say they don’t like due to the texture (SA included). Salting the eggplant prior to cooking makes a massive difference by sweating out some of the moisture which carries with it a bitter taste, as well as collapsing the air pockets which cause the eggplant to absorb excess oil and become greasy.
These are a great side dish to go with grilled chicken or beef, but they also have enough substance to make for a filling lunch with a salad on the side. Feta cheese is a more advanced cheese on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet so if you are just starting out you can substitute it with Parmesan shavings. To make these SCD friendly I would substitute the feta for a few shavings of Parmesan.
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Roasted Eggplant with Tomatoes and Feta
Ingredients
- 2 eggplant sliced
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/3 cup chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup feta
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
Instructions
- Cut eggplant into 1/2 inch thick slices and lay the slices out on a baking sheet. Generously salt the slices and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
- After 20 minutes, beads of liquid should have formed on the surface of the eggplant, rub the tops of each with a paper towel to remove moisture as well as the excess salt
- Brush each eggplant with olive oil and place in oven for 20 minutes flipping after the first 10 minutes
- In a pot over medium heat sauté onions and minced garlic for 5-6 minutes until onions become translucent
- Lower heat to medium low and add tomatoes, oregano and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Let simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, if mixture begins to look dry add a splash of white wine.
- Top each eggplant slice with a spoon full of the tomato mixture and a few crumbled pieces of feta. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes until the cheese begins to look soft
- Remove from oven, top each with a basil leaf and serve
This is very much like something I was served at the Newbury College culinary program 25 years ago.
I loved it then and have been searching for a similar recipe for years.
My version came out too salty, even though I blotted the eggplant per the recipe. Next time I think I’ll scrape them with a knife instead of blotting with a paper towel.
My tomato looked bland, so I added a tablespoon of tomato paste to boost the flavor. I think grilling the eggplant slices would also make it more flavorful, and putting it under the broiler after adding the feta might make it more visually appealing.
Do the slices go in the oven for the first twenty minutes? It would help readability if you mentioned keeping them out on the counter or putting them in the oven.
Trying it out now.