Eggplant And Walnut Phyllo Pie Recipes

EGGPLANT-FETA PHYLLO PIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly brush cut sides of eggplant with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place eggplant, cut side down, on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake until tender, 20 minutes, then remove from oven. Reduce heat to 375 degrees. When cool enough to handle, scrape flesh from skin and roughly chop. Transfer eggplant to a medium bowl and add feta, 3 tablespoons pistachios, coriander, red-pepper flakes, and mint. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
• Lightly oil 6 standard muffin cups. Lay 1 sheet phyllo on a work surface and, with a pastry brush, lightly brush with oil. Stack 4 more phyllo sheets on top, brushing each with oil. Cut into 6 squares. Gently press one square into each muffin cup and fill with 1/4 cup eggplant mixture. Gently fold over corners of phyllo to enclose filling. Brush tops with oil and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon pistachios. Bake until golden, 30 minutes. Let cool in pan, 5 minutes. Serve pies warm or at room temperature.

JULIA CHILD'S EGGPLANT-WALNUT DIP

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut green caps off eggplants and place them whole in a baking dish. Bake until very soft and collapsing, 30 to 35 minutes. When cool enough to handle, scrape flesh into the bowl of a mixer (or use a hand mixer).
• Beat at high speed for about two minutes, until smooth and fluffy. Add walnuts, garlic, ginger, allspice, two big pinches of salt and one of pepper. Shake in a few dashes of hot sauce. Mix well.
• With the mixer running, gradually drizzle in oil, as if making mayonnaise, just until mixture is emulsified and creamy. Stop, taste and adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper and hot sauce. If desired, beat in remaining olive oil.
• Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to one week.

EGGPLANT AND TOMATO PIE

Steps:

• Line a lightly oiled 9- or 10-inch tart pan with the dough. Using a fork, pierce at regular intervals to allow for even baking. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to prebake and fill.
• Heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice the eggplant about 1/3 inch thick and toss with salt to taste and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Line 1 to 2 baking sheets (as needed) with foil and brush the foil with olive oil. Lay the eggplant slices on the foil in 1 layer. Roast in the hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the slices are soft when pierced with a knife and browned in spots. Remove from the oven and carefully fold the foil up over the eggplant slices (be careful not to burn yourself!). Crimp the edges of the foil and allow the eggplant to steam for another 15 to 20 minutes. It should now be completely cooked. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees.
• Beat together the eggs in a medium bowl. Set the tart pan on a baking sheet to allow for easy handling. Using a pastry brush lightly brush the bottom of the crust with the beaten egg and place in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
• Whisk the milk into the eggs. Add salt (I usually use about 1/2 teaspoon) and pepper. Spread 1/4 cup tomato sauce over the bottom of the crust. Top with a layer of eggplant slices. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon one third of the remaining sauce over the eggplant and sprinkle with thyme, Parmesan, and half of the Gruyère. Repeat the layers one or two more times, depending on the size of your eggplant slices, ending with the Gruyère. Pour on the egg and milk mixture. It should seep down into the layers; if it looks like it's not moving and going to overflow the crust, use a fork to create some holes so it does seep down. Arrange the sliced tomatoes on top and sprinkle any remaining thyme over the tomatoes. Drizzle on 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until set and bubbling and browned on the top and edges. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot, warm, or room temperature.

FETA AND WALNUT PHYLLO ROLLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Blend feta, walnuts, Aleppo flakes, and a pinch of salt in a food processor until a ball begins to form. Form into 27 (1-inch) balls, then roll balls into 2 1/2-inch logs.
• Leave phyllo sheets stacked and cut lengthwise into thirds, then stack thirds into 1 pile. Cover with plastic wrap and a dampened kitchen towel.
• Place 1 sheet of phyllo with a short end nearest you on a work surface (keep remaining sheets covered) and brush with butter. Place a feta log in center of phyllo sheet parallel to short end. Fold phyllo in half, enclosing log, and brush with butter. Starting at end with log, roll up pastry to resemble a cigar.
• Transfer, seam side down, to a lightly buttered baking sheet, then make 26 more rolls in same manner.
• Brush rolls with some butter and bake in middle of oven until golden, about 25 minutes. Cool on baking sheet on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.