Eggplant Casserole with Red Pepper Pesto and Cajun Breadcrumbs
The recipe Eggplant Casserole with Red Pepper Pesto and Cajun Breadcrumbs could satisfy your Cajun craving in roughly 55 minutes. This main course has 1046 calories, 27g of protein, and 94g of fat per serving. This recipe serves 6. For $3.2 per serving, this recipe covers 31% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. This recipe from Foodnetwork requires pine nuts, canolan oil, garlic, and parmesan. Not a lot of people made this recipe, and 8 would say it hit the spot. It can be enjoyed any time, but it is especially good for Autumn. With a spoonacular score of 72%, this dish is solid. Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Parmesan Stuffed Artichokes with 5 Minute Red Pepper Hollandaise, Pepper Steak with Roasted Red Pepper Pesto, and Red Pepper Eggplant Pasta are very similar to this recipe.
Servings: 6
Preparation duration: 20 minutes
Cooking duration: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
6 slices day old Italian bread, crusts removed, coarsely ground in food processor
1/4 cup canola oil
Canola oil
Pinch cayenne
8 baby Italian eggplants, sliced lengthwise 1-inch thick
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced, weighted for a for 3 hours to remove excess liquid
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste
3 cloves garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
1 teaspoon Spanish paprika
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons pine nuts
4 grilled or roasted red peppers, skin and seeds removed and chopped
1/2 cup spice rub from Cajun-rubbed spiced turkey
Equipment:
frying pan
grill
food processor
baking pan
Cooking instruction summary:
Watch how to make this recipe. For the casserole: Heat a charcoal grill to medium-high heat. Brush the eggplant with canola oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Grill until lightly golden brown and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Combine the peppers, pine nuts, garlic, and thyme in a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, slowly the cup olive oil and process until emulsified. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan and some salt and pepper and pulse a few times to incorporate. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the pesto over the bottom of a baking dish. Line the dish with the some eggplant slices and then the mozzarella slices. Season with salt and pepper and scatter the oregano leaves over the top. Dollop another 1/2 cup or so of the pesto over, then more eggplant, a bit more pesto and finally the remaining Parmesan. Put on the grill, cover and bake until the cheese is melted and the casserole is hot, about 20 minutes. For the breadcrumbs: Heat the oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the paprika and cayenne and cook for 30 seconds. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until the crumbs are lightly golden brown. Add the parsley and thyme and season with salt and pepper. While the casserole cooks, make the breadcrumbs: Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over hot coals or over medium heat. Stir in the breadcrumbs (about 2 cups) and the spice rub and toast, stirring, until the crumbs are golden brown and crisp. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley, and scatter over the casserole. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Step by step:
1. Watch how to make this recipe.
While the casserole cooks, make the breadcrumbs
1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over hot coals or over medium heat. Stir in the breadcrumbs (about 2 cups) and the spice rub and toast, stirring, until the crumbs are golden brown and crisp.
2. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley, and scatter over the casserole.
3. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
For the breadcrumbs
1. Heat the oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Add the paprika and cayenne and cook for 30 seconds.
4. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until the crumbs are lightly golden brown.
5. Add the parsley and thyme and season with salt and pepper.
For the casserole
1. Heat a charcoal grill to medium-high heat.
2. Brush the eggplant with canola oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Grill until lightly golden brown and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
3. Combine the peppers, pine nuts, garlic, and thyme in a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, slowly the cup olive oil and process until emulsified.
4. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan and some salt and pepper and pulse a few times to incorporate.
5. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the pesto over the bottom of a baking dish. Line the dish with the some eggplant slices and then the mozzarella slices. Season with salt and pepper and scatter the oregano leaves over the top. Dollop another 1/2 cup or so of the pesto over, then more eggplant, a bit more pesto and finally the remaining Parmesan. Put on the grill, cover and bake until the cheese is melted and the casserole is hot, about 20 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
covered percent of daily need
