Matthew Goodman’s Eggplant Gratin

Submitted by: MATTHEW GOODMAN

Their Food Story:

Almodrote de Berengena (Eggplant Gratin) is a specialty of the Jews of Istanbul, who brought it with them in their exile from medieval Spain.

The recipe is from my cookbook, “Jewish Food: The World at Table.”

Almodrote de Berengena
(Eggplant Gratin)

Serves 4-6 people

Ingredients:

• 3 medium eggplants, about 1 1/4 pounds each

• 4 slices white bread, crusts removed, briefly soaked in cold water and squeezed dry, then crumbled

• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• 1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil

• 3/4 cup well-crumbled feta cheese

• 1 cup firmly packed grated kashkaval, Gouda, or other mild cheese

• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste 

• freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the broiler. Place the eggplants on a baking sheet and prick them several times with a fork. Broil the eggplants until soft, about 25 minutes, turning them once. Remove them to a colander and let cool. 

2. When the eggplants are cool, press down on them with your hand to remove as much juice as possible. Chop off the stems and strip away the skin from the pulp, discarding the stems, skin, and seeds. Place the eggplant pulp in a large bowl and mash it well with a fork.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch round baking dish. Add the bread, eggs, 3 tablespoons of the oil, the feta cheese, 3/4 cup of the mild cheese, salt, and pepper to the large bowl with the eggplant and stir to combine.

4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish, smoothing out the top. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of mild cheese over the top, and then drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Bake until set and golden brown on top, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly, then serve warm.