- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (I used a little more)
- 3 small eggplants, each weighing about 5 ounces or the equivalent weight in larger eggplants, trimmed at stem end (I used one large)
- Fine sea salt to taste (I always use kosher salt)
- 3 Tbsp finely minced mixed fresh herb leaves, such as rosemary, sage, thyme and basil (I used fresh sage)
- A pinch of dried oregano
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces; 60 grams) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 2 pounds (1 kg) fresh tomatoes, cored and halved crosswise (I used Roma tomatoes)
Roasted eggplants and roasted tomatoes both appear regularly at our dinner table, but I’ve never tried preparing them together. The funny thing is, I actually use the same base ingredients to marinate them–olive oil, balsamic vinegar, herbs, garlic–but it never occurred to me to combine the two. This is what makes cookbooks so fun for me: You learn to create new things out of the old standbys.
This recipe is a new find from Patricia Wells’ At Home in Provence. It was the first dish that I marked to try after receiving this book as a Christmas gift. In fact, it’s been a pleasant surprise to find that I want to try several dishes out of this book. This gratin didn’t disappoint. The slow roasting brought out the sweetness of the vegetables and the sharpness of the cheese. What’s more, the dish took only a few minutes to prepare. This is a definite keeper but next time, I might follow through with my original plan of adding a thinly-sliced potato to the mix just to make the dish a little heftier.
Tomato and Eggplant Gratin
Stella says
That looks delicious! I’m definitely making that when the oven is fixed!
lemonsandanchovies says
Stella, it was so easy–and good! I appreciate the comment!