Eggplant with Goat Cheese and Pesto

Eggplant with Goat Cheese and Pesto
By Charlie Burke

We picked the last or our thin purple eggplant this week, and I am
determined to use them all over the next week or so. I was recently
thumbing through a well used copy of Marcella’s Italian Kitchen (Knopf,
New York, 1986) by legendary teacher Marcella Hazan, where I came
across a variation of pesto. Rather than using Parmesan and Pecorino
Romano as in classic pesto preparation, she blended the standard basil,
pine nuts, garlic, salt and olive oil and then mixed in two to three
tablespoons of soft goat cheese to which a small volume of olive oil had
been added.
Thin spaghetti with goat cheese pesto made a memorable dinner that
night, with Heart Song Farm’s* goat cheese (Valerie ships her cheeses)
giving the sauce a smooth rich flavor.
I thought this combination would go perfectly with thin slices of
eggplant replacing the pasta and with the roles of the cheese and pesto
being reversed. In this preparation, a few tablespoons of pesto flavors the
goat cheese which is placed inside folded cooked eggplant. A minimal
amount of a sauce made from our heirloom tomatoes, a short time in the
oven and a handful of fresh basil resulted in a perfect blend of seasonal
flavors.
These can be made ahead, needing only to be heated in the oven when
entertaining, or, served at room temperature, would be a great with wine
or cocktails. We’ve definitely added it to our list of vegetarian entrees.
Four servings:
Approximately 2 pounds best quality eggplants (enough for at least 16
slices)
2 cups fresh soft goat cheese
3 tablespoons fresh pesto, made without the Parmesan or Pecorino (see
pesto recipe)
Fresh tomato sauce sufficient to lightly coat casserole and to drizzle over
eggplant (or substitute your own sauce)
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher or sea salt and coarsely ground pepper
1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped just before serving
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Slice eggplant into thin slices – lengthwise for thin eggplants, crosswise
for plump varieties. If using thin, curved eggplant, place it convex side
down on the board while slicing – when cooked it will fold easily over
the filling. Lightly salt slices and brush both sides with a small amount of
olive oil. Line a shallow baking pan with parchment paper or use a non
stick pan, and place eggplant in a single layer. Cook until just soft, 15 –
20 minutes.
Reserve 2 tablespoons of cheese, and add 1 tablespoon olive oil to
remainder, along with the pesto. Mix thoroughly, adding more oil if the
mixture seems dry. Taste, adding salt and pepper as needed. Lightly film
a shallow baking dish with tomato sauce. Place a tablespoon of the
cheese mixture over ½ of each slice, fold the other half over the cheese
and place into casserole. Drizzle eggplant lightly with a scant amount of
tomato sauce – it is to add flavor and keep the eggplant moist, not to be a
major component of the dish. Top each slice with a small piece of goat
cheese and place into the oven. When cheese begins to melt and soften
and interior is hot (check with a thermometer or a metal probe), serve,
sprinkled with basil.
Because arugula and goat cheese perfectly complement each other, this
dish was served with a salad of our very young arugula with a trace of
balsamic vinegar dressing (1 part aged balsamic vinegar to 2 parts olive
oil or walnut oil)