Aubergines baked with cheese

Todays post is about the power of network. So, basically, I checked my Reader and found this lovely post of Sunny District. Apart from an amazing trailer of a Bollywood movie (which promises to be the most colorful movie I’ve ever seen in my life) there was a link on a website to make a masterpiece from a quote. recitethis.com/ allows you to select a design for your quote or even the quote itself if you don’t have one. I decided to try, one of my favorite phrases belongs to Salvador Dalì (it is as actual as never thanks to sanctions on food import to Russia) and the result of my tremendous efforts you can see below. So after this quote I have no choice but to provide a recipe with several types of cheese.

I do have to keep on writing my thesis, so the post will be very short. Just another cheese-related curiosity I’d like to mention: today a friend of mine showed me this 60-seconds video about the smallest sculpture in London, two mice fighting for a piece of cheese – I guess I would never have noticed it myself, but now I am curious to see it. But of course what counts is the story behind the sculpture

Aubergine Flowers

• Servings: 2
• Time: 40 mins
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

Aubergines_____2
Tomatoes_____ 3 big
Cheese_______100 grams (for this recipe you can take mozzarella, feta, soft goat cheese or tofu)
Oil
Pepper, Salt

Directions: 

1. Cut aubergines in halves, then each cut lengthwise into stripes around 1 cm thick (try to keep them equal and not thicker or thinner than 1 cm) like on the picture. Do not cut till the very end, aubergine should be joint at the end
2. Cut cheese and tomatoes. Grease aubergines with olive oil, then put cheese and tomatoes. If you like, you can cover aubergines with chopped garlic and coriander. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Bake on 180C (350F) for about 25 minutes. It is very easy to transfer ready aubergines to plates; they do not fall apart.

Comments: I tried this dish with creamy goat cheese, mozzarella, and feta. I think the cheese which doesn’t melt is better – feta is baked beautifully and retain the shape, while mozzarella and creamy goat cheese melt and go all around the baking tray. I think mozzarella is not enough strong in taste to fit into this dish, so it’s better to pick up a cheese with a stronger flavor, depending on your preferences and fantasies 🙂 The dish is so fast and so simple, but it looks interesting and tastes simply amazing so just give it a try 🙂

Aubergine Napoleon

It’s can be even considered a type of very healthy hamburger – and it’s very easy to cook the vegan version

I found a very nice book of Jewish Cuisine called Olives, Lemons, and Za’atar. It is absolutely amazing reading, as the author, Rawia Bishara, brings her culture through this book: she writes about memories of her childhood and the eating traditions of the Holy Land. And all this is supported with the bright, colorful pictures full of sun. I am ready to pack my luggage and go to Israel, to see this wonderful country and to try all these delicious food.

One recipe looked especially appealing for me, and I decided to try it.

• Aubergine______1,5
• Basil Pesto________30 ml
• Olive oil__________60 ml
• Garlic_____________3 cloves
• Juice of 1,5 lemons
• Flour______________30 grams
• Egg white__________1
• Panko breadcrumbs__100 grams
• Grated hard cheese_1 tablespoon
• Dried parsley______1 tablespoon

Baba Ghanouj or Mutabal__300 ml for serving. I obviously had none and neither did I have ingredients to prepare them, so I took:

• Peas_______________100 grams
• Chili pepper_______1
• Tomatoes___________2
• Garlic_____________2 cloves
• Shallot____________1/2
• Olive oil__________3 tablespoons
• Juice of a lemon
• Cumin______________1/4 tablespoon
• Pepper, salt

For the salad:

• Tomatoes_________4
• Red onion________1/2
• Basil Pesto______3 tablespoons
• Olive oil________90 ml
• Salt

Vegetable Strudel

A salty version of the famous Austrian dessert is delicious and can be easily adjusted for a vegan diet

I am quite crazy about strudels, and after making classic Apple Strudel I decided to try with a salty version to take as a lunch to job. It came out very nice, as usual vegetables and cheese you can pick up up to your preferences and tastes. I think mushrooms would fit here perfectly. I think it is also a good idea to try it with beer dough like in this recipe Anyway, indeed a very nice main dish idea worth trying it.

Time of preparation: 60 minutes Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

For dough:

• Butter______100 grams
• Water______ 70 ml
• Flour_______200 grams 

For filling:

• Onion______1
• Carrots_____1
• Eggs_______1 (optional)
• Aubergine__ 1
• Zucchini____1
• Cheese_____50 grams
• Broth

Sour-sweet Vegetable Pasta

As I just moved to London and have to sort out million things, for two weeks I’ve cooked jut the simplest and fastest dishes (and as my BF is Sicilian, pasta had a solid presence in our menu) P.S. as you may have noticed, now we have square plates! 🙂

Time of preparation:  35 minutes Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients (for two portions):

• Spaghetti______200 grams
• Aubergine_____ 1
• Zucchini_______1
• Onion_________ ½
• Red hot pepper_1
• Wine/water_____1 glass
• Vinegar________1 tablespoon
• Sugar_________ 1 tablespoon
• Tomatoes______2

Balkan Cheese Pie

A real treasure for all cheese-lovers! Amazing combination of cheeses and aubergine wrapped in the perfect dough will make this pie of your favorites!

Time of preparation:  90 minutes Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

For dough:

• Self-raising Flour___200 grams (or plain flour+1 teaspoon of baking powder)
• Butter____________100 grams (softened)
• Sour cream_______ 100 grams
• Salt______________1/2 teaspoon
• Yolk_____________ 1

For stuffing:

• Feta_____________100 grams
• Cottage Cheese___130 grams
• Gauda Cheese____100 grams
• Aubergine________1
• Potato___________1
• Egg_____________1
• Flour____________1,5 tablespoons
• Coriander

Vegetable Crumble

 

Crumble can be not only a dessert but a salty (and tasty) main course.

Time of preparation: 40 minutes Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

 

Tomatoes___2 middle

Aubergine__ 1

Zucchini____2 small

Mozzarella__100 grams

Pine nuts___2 tablespoons

Oil_________2 tablespoons

 

Flour______ 150 grams

Butter______75 grams

Thyme, Salt, Pepper

Aubergines with Tomatoes and Yoghurt

The Greek cuisine is one of my favorite; they have a lot of ways of cooking aubergines. The following one – is fast and simple, but the  final result is delicious.

Time of preparation: 30 minutes Difficulty: Easy

• Butter________1/2 cup
• Oregano______1 teaspoon
• Garlic________1 glove
• Sugar________1/2 teaspoon
• Natural Yoghurt ___250 grams
• Aubergine____1 kg
• Onion________1 big
• Canned Tomatoes ___ ½ of a can
• Grated Cheese_3 tablespoons
• Bread crumbles
• A tomato

Ship Bread Ratatouille

Unusual serving of an usual ratatouille. Highly recommended!

Time of preparation: 1 hour Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

For dough:

Flour _______ 1,3 glasses
Oil _________ 0,3 glass
Beer _______ 0,3 glass
A pinch of salt

Souse:

Onion________1
Tomatoes ____ 2 middle
Red Pepper ___1/2 of big
Garlic
Thyme
Salt, Black Pepper

Stuffing:

Zucchini______1 big
Aubergine____1 middle
Tomatoes ___ 2 middle

Garlic
Olive Oil
Olives
Thyme and Herbs

Simple Ratatouille

After the cartoon Rataouille, a lot of people started wondering how to cook this “simple village food”.

Time of preparation: 1 hour Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• Zucchini______3 big
• Aubergines____2 middle
• Onion________1 
• Tomatoes ___ 4 middle
• Dry White Wine ___50 ml
• Garlic
• Sugar _______ 1Tablespoon
• Balsamic/Wine Vinegar _ 1 Tablespoon 
• Salt, Pepper, Olive Oil