Do I need to salt eggplant before cooking?

Salting eggplant and letting it before cooking draws out some of the eggplant's moisture, and some say, it's bitterness as well. But I never bother anymore. I don't think it makes that much of a difference for the 30+ extra minutes it takes for this step, and I've never found my eggplant dishes bitter. u003ca href=u0022https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/do-you-really-need-to-salt-eggplant-articleu0022u003eMost people seem to agree.u003c/au003e

Should eggplant be peeled before cooking?

It's up to personal preference. In a dish like this Eggplant Florentine, each piece of eggplant has just a thin piece of skin. This softens during cooking and is easy to eat. But if you prefer not to have skin, or have older and tougher looking eggplant, go ahead and peel it first.

Is it okay to eat eggplant that is brown inside?

Like apples, eggplant flesh can brown quickly once sliced. If your eggplant is going to sit for a while after cutting, you can toss it with a little lemon juice to prevent the browning. But if your eggplant is soft, brown, and looks spoiled, that's a different story. It's gone bad on you. Prevent this by buying firm, fresh eggplants, storing them in the fridge, and using themw within a week.

Eggplant Florentine

Description

Eggplant Florentine is a delicious and comforting vegetarian dish that combines crisp slices of pan-fried eggplant with the creamy richness of a spinach and ricotta filling and a quick tomato sauce.

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 medium eggplant
4 ounces mozzarella cheese
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1 lemon
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more as needed
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 14.5 ounces can of whole peeled tomatoes or 5-6 fresh plum tomatoes
5 ounces baby spinach
2 cups ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

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Instructions

Prep the ingredients. Slice the eggplant into ½ inch pieces, thinly slice the mozzarella, zest the lemon, finely chop the garlic, and roughly tear the basil. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
Bread the eggplant. In a dish, beat the eggs with a splash of water. In another dish, add the flour. In a third, combine the breadcrumbs, ½ teaspoon of salt, a few grinds of black pepper, and oregano. Using a fork, dip each piece of eggplant into the flour, the egg, and the breading, shaking off any excess in between. Repeat with all of the eggplant slices.
Fry the eggplant. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium-low heat. When hot, place several pieces of eggplant without crowding, and cook for 2-3 minutes until browned. Flip the slices over and cook another 2 minutes until browned on the second side. Use more oil, as necessary.
Keep cooking the eggplant. Place the fried eggplant slices on a rack set on a baking sheet. Repeat the frying process with the remaining slices, adding them to the tray as you go. Put the tray in the oven to keep warm as you prep the other ingredients.
Make the sauce. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small saucepan. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, crushing them with your hands if whole, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes before stirring in the basil. Cook the spinach while you wait.
Make the filling. Wipe out the pan you used to cook the eggplant. Add the spinach, along with a splash of water. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring, until completely wilted down. Stir the ricotta, parmesan, and lemon zest into the spinach until combined.
Assemble. Spoon sauce onto a third of the eggplant slices. Then, top the sauce with some of the ricotta mixture. Top each of the slices with another piece of eggplant. Then, cover each with some more sauce. Now, spoon the remainder of the ricotta over the sauce. Top with the remaining slices of eggplant and another spoonful of sauce.
Serve. Place a thin slice of the mozzarella on top of each eggplant stack. Then, place the tray under your oven's broiler to melt and lightly brown the cheese. Serve immediately.

Notes

Crushed or diced tomatoes may be used in place of the whole tomatoes.

Shredded mozzarella also works.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30
Category: Main dishes
Method: Pan frying
Cuisine: Italian