Category Archives: Spring

Farro, Spring, Summer, Weeknight Dinner

Farro and Green Bean Salad

August 22, 2021 Sam

Simple and quick vegetarian meal. Perfect for green bean season!

Print Recipe

Farro and Green Bean Salad

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: California, Vegan

Keyword: Farro, Vegan

Servings: servings

Calories: 490kcal

Ingredients

Farro

1 cup farro
1 pinch salt
3 cups water

Gremolata

1 cup walnuts yielding ½ cup when finely chopped
1 cup fresh dill roughly chopped
2 large lemons zested and juiced
1 large shallot finely chopped
½ tsp salt

Green Beans

2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb green beans trimmed
½ tsp salt
black pepper
flaky sea salt optional for serving

Instructions

Farro

Add farro, 3 cups water and a pinch of kosher salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the farro is tender and toothsome, 25-45 minutes.
1 cup farro, 1 pinch salt, 3 cups water

Gremolata

Toast the walnuts in a large skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently to ensure that they don’t burn, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer toasted walnuts to a medium bowl. Add the dill, lemon zest and shallots and toss to coat. Season with salt and set aside.
1 cup walnuts, 1 cup fresh dill, 2 large lemons, 1 large shallot, ½ tsp salt

Green Beans

Wipe out the skillet and heat the oil over medium. Add the green beans and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the beans are crisp tender and start to brown in spots, 6 to 8 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of water to help them along, if needed. Turn off the heat.
2 tbsp olive oil, 1 lb green beans, black pepper, ½ tsp salt
If there is any residual cooking liquid from the farro, drain it and add the farro directly to the skillet. Toss with the beans until well combined and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large serving bowl or platter and top with the gremolata. Drizzle with lemon juice or white wine vinegar to finish. Season with flaky salt, if desired.
flaky sea salt

Notes

Serves 4

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Farro and Green Bean Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 490 Calories from Fat 243

% Daily Value*

Fat 27g42%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Sodium 621mg27%

Potassium 691mg20%

Carbohydrates 58g19%

Fiber 15g63%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 13g26%

Vitamin A 1718IU34%

Vitamin C 53mg64%

Calcium 132mg13%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Fall, Great Leftovers, Indian, Rotation, Spring, Summer, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

Baked Rajma with Tofu

July 31, 2021 Sam

This dairy-free take on rajma is delightful. You won’t even miss the lack of paneer, like in the other version. Make sure you get a good quality tofu – like Hodo.

Print Recipe

Baked Rajma with Tofu

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Dry Beans, Tofu

Servings: servings

Calories: 587kcal

Equipment

Large, oven-safe skillet or all-in-one pan
Small food processor
Water kettle
Sheet pan

Ingredients

Beans

1½ cup dry kidney beans
Kombu, bay leaf, other bean spices

Rajma

1 large red onion
4 cloves garlic peeled and trimmed
1 serrano pepper top removed
1 inch fresh ginger cleaned and mostly peeled
2½ tbsp neutral oil ½ tbsp for the tofu
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes or 2 lb fresh tomatoes
½ tsp ground ancho chile powder
¼ tsp garam masala
½ tsp fenugreek leaves
20 oz tofu cut into bite-sized cubes
½ bunch cilantro optional leaves chopped for serving on top

Pickled onion:

1 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ cup rice wine vinegar

Instructions

Soak the kidney beans in 1% salted water for about 6-8 hours. As the first step, before preparing ingredients, drain the soaked beans, add to a large sauce pot and cover with plenty of water. Cover and turn heat to high. While it comes to a boil, put your various bean spices (kombu, bay leaf, etc.) into a disposable or reusable spice bag and add to the water. Boil for at least 10 minutes, for kidney-bean-safety reasons. Then turn down heat to a gentle simmer and cook for another 15-45 minutes, checking frequently, until softened 99% of the way. (They will cook very slightly more in the oven.)
1½ cup dry kidney beans, Kombu, bay leaf, other bean spices
Prepare all ingredients as above and measure out spices as needed. Then, quarter the onion. Thinly slice half and set aside. Rough chop the remaining half and add to a small food processor with the garlic, serrano and ginger. Chop until small, scraping down the sides as needed.
1 large red onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 serrano pepper, 1 inch fresh ginger
When beans are nearly done, begin the next steps. In a large, oven-proof skillet, preferably with high walls, heat 2 tbsp oil over medium. Add the cumin and mix for 30 seconds. Then add the ginger, onion and pepper mix and cook until the excess liquid has evaporated and the mixture is just starting to darken (8-10 minutes).
1 tsp cumin, 2½ tbsp neutral oil
Preheat the oven to 350ºF with a sheet pan on one shelf. Mix the cubed tofu with about ½ tbsp oil, just enough to cover, and a light dusting of salt and pepper.
20 oz tofu
Add the cooked, drained beans and the ancho chile powder to pan and mix. You can mash a small portion of the beans (1-2 tbsp worth) to help thicken the sauce, if you’d like. Add the crushed tomatoes, garam masala and fenugreek leaves to the pan. Stir well and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes on the stovetop.
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes, ½ tsp ground ancho chile powder, ¼ tsp garam masala, ½ tsp fenugreek leaves, 1 tsp salt
Spread the tofu onto a sheet pan. Place the tofu in the oven and set a timer for 7 minutes (for flipping the tofu). Cook the tofu until golden on a few sides, 15-20 minutes. When done, add directly to the beans/sauce and mix before allowing to cook longer.
At the same time as the tofu, add the rajma pan, uncovered, to the oven and cook for 30 to 40 minutes total, until the sauce has thickened. Stir 1-2 times while cooking, including when you add the paneer about halfway through. (See prior step.)
While everything bakes, pickle the thinly sliced onion. Boil water in the kettle. Add the sliced onions to a bowl. Pour boiling water on top and allow to sit for 30 seconds. Drain. In the wiped-clean bowl, stir together the rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt until dissolved. Add the reserved onion slices to the bowl and stir in the vinegar. Allow to marinate.
1 tsp granulated sugar, ¼ cup rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp kosher salt
When the beans and paneer is done, garnish with the pickled onion slices, letting a few drops of the pickling liquid flick over the beans to season them. Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or naan.
½ bunch cilantro optional

Notes

Serves 6

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Baked Rajma with Tofu

Amount Per Serving

Calories 587 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 1g

Sodium 1348mg59%

Potassium 1065mg30%

Carbohydrates 103g34%

Fiber 16g67%

Sugar 17g19%

Protein 33g66%

Vitamin A 348IU7%

Vitamin C 33mg40%

Calcium 266mg27%

Iron 10mg56%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Low Calorie, Quick, Spring, Summer

Garbanzo and Tomato Summer Salad

June 11, 2021 Sam

This simple garbanzo salad is great for summer. It maximizes that summer produce season and stores well. Serve it with bread to make it more filling and delicious.

Print Recipe

Garbanzo and Tomato Summer Salad

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: California, Vegan

Keyword: Dry Beans

Servings: servings

Calories: 340kcal

Equipment

Pressure cooker

Ingredients

½ lb garbanzo beans
Bean spices
1.5 lb tomatoes chopped
2 medium red onion diced
½ bunch cilantro thick stems removed, chopped
4 persian cucumbers large-diced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 limes zested and juiced
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Beans

Rinse then soak the garbanzos in 1% salinity water for at least 8 hours. Drain and add the beans to a pressure cooker. Cover with water by at least 1" or so. Add bean spices to the pot, in a spice bag if possible. Set timer for 7 minutes and cook on high pressure. Allow for pressure to release naturally for 25 minutes and then release remaining pressure.
½ lb garbanzo beans, Bean spices
Remove the beans and just enough water to cover the beans. Salt the water gently and mix well. Allow to cool some and then place in the fridge to cool until ready to assemble.

Assemble

Before serving, prepare other ingredients and then toss together.
1.5 lb tomatoes, 2 medium red onion, ½ bunch cilantro, 4 persian cucumbers, 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 limes, Salt and pepper

Notes

Nutrition is based on 4 servings, but this could make 6 servings if served with bread

Nutrition

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Spring, Summer, Weekend Dinner

Ratatouille Cassoulet

June 11, 2021 Sam

Vegan and rich, this is a great spring/summer dish that doesn’t seem to be too hard to make. It goes great with a side of bread, couscous or other grain.

Print Recipe

Ratatouille Cassoulet

Prep Time30

Cook Time2

Cooling15

Total Time2 45

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: French, Vegan

Keyword: Joe Yonan

Servings: servings

Calories: 216kcal

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large white onion chopped
5 cloves garlic chopped
3 tbsp za'atar
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
28 oz crushed tomatoes preferrably fire-roasted
4 oz dry flageolet beans or cannellini or other small white bean
8 oz eggplant thinly sliced
8 oz zucchini thinly sliced
8 oz yellow summer squash thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper tinly sliced
½ cup panko bread crumbs or other style

Instructions

Pre-soak the beans without salt for at least 8 hours, if not more like 12 hours. As you start to prepare the above ingredients, put the beans in a pot with water (soaking water is fine) and bring to a gentle boil for 10 minutes and then turn off the heat and keep covered.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Pour 2 tbsp of the olive oil into a large, deep ovenproof skillet or flameproof casserole (with a lid) over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.
Add the za'atar, ½ tsp of the salt and ¼ tsp of the pepper and cook for both 30 seconds, until fragrant. Pour in the tomatoes and beans and stir to incorporate. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Then turn off the heat.
Starting at the outer edge of the skillet, arrange alternating slices of the eggplant, zucchini and summer squash in concentric circles on top of the tomato-bean mixture, tightly overlapping them. The idea is to lay each piece flat and then overlap the next piece by about half on top of it, continuing until the middle. Arrange the bell pepper on top.
Drizzle the vegetables with the remaining 1 tbsp oil and sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper.
Cover and bake the skillet for 1 hour. It will look soupy and the beans won't be quite tender. Uncover and sprinkle with the bread crumbs and return to the oven, uncovered. Bake for another hour until the bread crumbs are browned, the liquid is thickly bubbling around the edges and the beans on the bottom layer are very tender.
Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Nutrition based on six servings; likely is more like 3-4 servings

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Ratatouille Cassoulet

Amount Per Serving

Calories 216 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 610mg27%

Potassium 1142mg33%

Carbohydrates 35g12%

Fiber 9g38%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 1377IU28%

Vitamin C 65mg79%

Calcium 165mg17%

Iron 7mg39%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Fall, Projects, Spring, Summer, Weekend Dinner, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

Bar Pizza

May 2, 2021 Sam

Print Recipe

Bar Pizza

Prep Time30

Cook Time10

Cold Ferment1

Total Time1 40

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Comfort Food

Keyword: Simple

Servings: pizzas

Calories: 573kcal

Equipment

Bar pizza pans

Ingredients

145 grams all-purpose flour
2 grams salt about 1/2 tsp
3.5 grams sugar about 3/4 tsp
½ tsp instant yeast
7 grams olive oil
96 grams lukewarm water
neutral oil for pans
½ cup pizza sauce
1 oz parmesan finely grated
4.5 oz mozzarella cheese grated or shredded

Instructions

Combine flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in bowl of food processor. Pulse 3 to 4 times until incorporated. Add olive oil and water. Run food processor until mixture forms ball that rides around the bowl above the blade, about 15 seconds. Continue processing 15 seconds longer. Alternatively, combine ingredients in a stand mixer and mix on low speed for ten minutes.
Transfer dough ball to lightly floured surface and knead once or twice by hand until smooth ball is formed. Transfer to very lightly greased sealable container, close and place in the refrigerator. Allow to ferment for at least one, and up to five days.
At least two hours before baking, remove dough from refrigerator and divide into two even balls. Shape into balls by gathering dough towards bottom and pinching shut. Flour well and place each one in a separate bowl (cereal bowls or small mixing bowls work well). Cover tightly and allow to rise at warm room temperature until roughly doubled in volume.
Meanwhile, adjust oven rack with pizza stone to top position and place a second rack one position below it. Preheat oven to 550°F for at least 30 minutes with a rack at the top of the oven.
Turn single dough ball out onto floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into a 10-inch circle, lifting and stretching by hand if necessary. Grease the bar pizza pan lightly with a neutral oil. Transfer dough to pan. Spread a bit less than ¼ cup of sauce evenly over entire surface of pie. Sprinkle with half of cheese in even layer over surface. Top with additional toppings as desired.
Place in oven on the top rack. Bake until edges are just beginning to brown, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer pizza to a cutting board.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Bar Pizza

Amount Per Serving

Calories 573 Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 11g69%

Cholesterol 60mg20%

Sodium 1339mg58%

Potassium 371mg11%

Carbohydrates 63g21%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 29g58%

Vitamin A 807IU16%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 510mg51%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dinner Party, Fall, Farro, Spring, Summer, Winter

Farro-Stuffed Poblanos

April 25, 2021 Sam

This is a variation on a recipe of completely unknown origin. It started with smoked gouda and bell peppers, but I’ve shifted and adjusted to bring it more in line with tastes I like.

Soaking the walnuts helps make them less bitter, I think.

Print Recipe

Farro-Stuffed Poblanos

Prep Time30

Cook Time25

Total Time55

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: California

Keyword: Farro

Servings: servings

Calories: 444kcal

Ingredients

1 cup farro
4 oz smoked cheddar cheese small-diced
2 oz walnuts
1 cup passata strained tomatoes
1 tsp sweet paprika
6 medium poblano peppers

Instructions

Rinse the poblanos and dry them. Turn on the broiler. Place peppers on a sheet pan and broil for a few minutes, flipping once, until both sides are roasted. Remove and place in a large covered casserole dish (with the cover on) to cool and steam. Make sure it's large enough to hold the peppers in one layer as you'll be using it next. Once the peppers have cooled, remove from the dish and remove the charred skins carefully. Cut in half and remove seeds and interior stem / membranes. Wipe out the dish to use again in a future step.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil with plenty of salt. Add the farro and cook for 15-25 minutes, until cooked. Drain well and shake to get most of the liquid out.
Meanwhile, soak the walnuts in hot water for 10 minutes. Drain and dry. Chop roughly.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Oil the dish you cooled the peppers in. In a large bowl, mix cooked farro, diced cheese, chopped walnuts, 1 cup passata and most of the paprika. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Fill the peppers with the farro mixture. It can overflow some if you have a lot of material. Cover, place in the oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until peppers are tender.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Farro-Stuffed Poblanos

Amount Per Serving

Calories 444 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Fat 20g31%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Cholesterol 30mg10%

Sodium 204mg9%

Potassium 828mg24%

Carbohydrates 55g18%

Fiber 13g54%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 17g34%

Vitamin A 1523IU30%

Vitamin C 150mg182%

Calcium 263mg26%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Fall, Great Leftovers, Projects, Spring, Summer, Weekend Dinner, Winter

Polenta Lasagna

April 25, 2021 Sam

Perfect for a rainy day, which is when I first made this.

Print Recipe

Polenta Lasagna

Prep Time3

Cook Time30

Total Time3 30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Comfort Food, Italian

Keyword: Polenta

Servings: servings

Calories: 628kcal

Ingredients

Polenta

4 tbsp butter
1 tbsp salt
2 cups polenta
5 oz baby spinach
7 oz Parmesan grated

Marinara and ricotta fillings

1 lb whole-milk ricotta
3 tbsp parsley finely chopped
1 large egg
½ tsp black pepper
⅛ tsp nutmeg
1 lb mozzarella shredded
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
4 cloves garlic
¼ tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions

Polenta

Heat oven to 425ºF and place parchment paper on a rimmed baking sheet.
In a large stock pot, add 6 cups boiling water (from the kettle) and 1 tbsp salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, then slowly pour in 2 cups polenta, stirring constantly. Continue stirring frequently until polenta thickens, 8 to 12 minutes. Add 4 tbsp butter and stir until melted. Then add the spinach and stir until it's wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in about half of the grated Parmesan.
Pour polenta onto the prepared baking sheet. Using a wet (or greased) silicon spatula, spread the mixture into a thin, even layer to cover the entire pan, all the way to corners. Sprinkle half of the remaining grated Parmesan on top. (Save remaining parmesan for the final assembly.) Put in the oven and bake until polenta is firm and cheese has melted, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack until completely cooled, about 90 minutes.

Marinara and ricotta fillings

About 30 minutes before assembly, make the marinara. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a large dutch oven or sauce pot. Add half of the minced garlic and the red pepper flakes and stir until fragrant. Add the can of crushed tomatoes and stir well. Add the 1 tsp oregano. Add about ½ tsp salt, some black pepper and mix well. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring ocassionally, and then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes. Turn off heat.
Prepare the ricotta filling. In a small bowl, mix the ricotta, parsley, basil, egg, black pepper, nutmeg and about ½ tsp salt. Add half of the minced garlic. Mix until well combined and set aside.

Assembly

When ready to bake the lasagna, heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9×13" baking dish.
Cut cooled polenta in half, creating 2 pieces roughly the size of the baking dish. Using a large spatula, gently place one half in the buttered baking dish.
Then, build the layers from there. From the bottom, layers are: polenta, ricotta, marinara, mozzarella, polenta, ricotta, marinara, mozzarella. Then top with the remaining Parmesan.
Place baking dish on top of a rimmed sheet pan in case the lasagna bubbles over. Bake until cheese melts, about 30 minutes. If you like, you can broil lasagna for 2 minutes after baking until cheese starts to bubble and develop brown spots.
Remove from oven and let lasagna stand for about 15 minutes to firm up before serving.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Polenta Lasagna

Amount Per Serving

Calories 628 Calories from Fat 315

% Daily Value*

Fat 35g54%

Saturated Fat 20g125%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 129mg43%

Sodium 2170mg94%

Potassium 601mg17%

Carbohydrates 44g15%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 34g68%

Vitamin A 3148IU63%

Vitamin C 17mg21%

Calcium 765mg77%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Dairy-Free, Dry Beans, Fall, Quick, Spring, Summer, Weeknight Dinner, Winter

Quick Lentil and Tomato Pasta

April 8, 2021 Sam

I “invented” this one night when I wanted to make a quick meal but didn’t have much fresh food in the house. It’s simply but ultimately tasty, filling and nutritious. If you have a vegetable or salad side for the greens, it really would fill it out even better.

Print Recipe

Quick Lentil and Tomato Pasta

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Lentils, Quick

Servings: servings

Calories: 499kcal

Ingredients

200 g black lentils or green lentils
½ lb dry pasta farfalle, spiral or other small pasta preferred
15 oz canned crushed tomatoes or other unsalted, unseasoned tomato sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp oregano
2 cloves garlic or 1 tsp dry minced garlic, or ½ tsp garlic powder
1 onion optional
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
2 oz Parmesan optional

Instructions

First, cook the lentils. Heat at least 1 liter water in the kettle (or over the stove) until boiling. Add to a medium sauce pot and add about 1 tsp salt per liter. Add lentils and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low-medium-low, cover and cook for 10-20 minutes, depending on the lentil type. When done, drain lentils.
Heat an appropriately large pot of water over high heat (or use the kettle again to kickstart this) to cook the pasta. Cook according to package directions.
Prepare tomato sauce by heat oil in a skillet or Dutch oven and adding spices until they're fragrant. Then add crushed tomatoes and cook down some on a low heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
When lentils are done, combine with the tomato sauce. When pasta is done, combine with the whole thing. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan on top and a side vegetable or salad, if available.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Quick Lentil and Tomato Pasta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 499 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 10mg3%

Sodium 378mg16%

Potassium 512mg15%

Carbohydrates 79g26%

Fiber 15g63%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 27g54%

Vitamin A 397IU8%

Vitamin C 14mg17%

Calcium 271mg27%

Iron 7mg39%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Appetizer, Dairy-Free, Holiday, Roasted Vegetables, Side, Spring

Roasted Spring Onions

March 28, 2021 Sam

This simple dish is a great side. If you roast them long enough, the lower half softens into a subtly flavored mush and the tops get crispy and salty. It’s a real treat. Two to three per person is enough.

I made this for Passover 2021 and it was an excellent and surprising side.

Print Recipe

Roasted Spring Onions

Simple seasonal deliciousness

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Vegetarian

Keyword: Spring

Servings: servings

Calories: 88kcal

Equipment

Deep-sided metal pan

Ingredients

6 large spring onions
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Trim bottoms and tops of the spring onion. Coat with oil, salt and pepper. Place in the large pan.
Place pan in the oven and roast for at least 20 minutes, uo to 25 minutes, until the tops have darkened significantly and the bottoms look flat as if they've fully softened.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Roasted Spring Onions

Amount Per Serving

Calories 88 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 275mg12%

Potassium 221mg6%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 753IU15%

Vitamin C 14mg17%

Calcium 59mg6%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Appetizer, Holiday, Spring

Caprese Eggplant Bites

March 28, 2021 Sam

These delicious little devils are less work than they look. It’s a lot of dishes, but it’s worth it. They even save pretty well! I made this for a informal Passover 2021 and it was a nice, semi-fresh compliment to a heavier meal.

Print Recipe

Caprese Eggplant Bites

An appetizing bite-sized dish

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Appetizer, Dinner

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 360kcal

Ingredients

½ cup all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
2 cups bread crumbs
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 large graffiti eggplant or 1 medium regular eggplant
½ cup oil Canola or other high-heat oil
3 medium heirloom tomatoes
12 oz fresh mozzarella cheese sliced
Fresh basil
½ tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions

Prep the breading work area. Measure flour and put on a plate. Then measure the breadcrumbs and put on a second plate; add salt and pepper and mix well. Beat 3 eggs in a large, shallow bowl and place between the two plates.
Trim the top and bottom of the eggplant. Slice about ⅜" rounds, or just larger than ¼" rounds.
Preheat the oil in a large frying pan over medium, medium-high heat.
Using one hand, move each slice of eggplant through the flour, coating well. Then dip into the egg, coating well again. Finally, gently press each side into the bread crumbs to ensure it's well-coated.
Using a slotted turner (or tongs), gently place battered eggplant slices into the oil in a single layer. You will have to do a few batches. Fry on each side without disturbing for about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Repeat until all slices are fried.
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. While the slices fry, slice the tomatoes into the same number of slices as you have eggplants. Also prepare the sliced mozzarella. Once the slices are fried, place on a lightly oiled sheet pan (half-size is fine) and top with the sliced tomatoes and then the sliced mozzarella.
Bake the slices at 400ºF for 3-5 minutes, until the mozzarella just barely starts to melt. While that bakes, slice the basil leaves.
Remove and top with a pinch of red pepper flakes, a pinch of a flaky salt and the sliced basil leaves.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Caprese Eggplant Bites

Amount Per Serving

Calories 360 Calories from Fat 216

% Daily Value*

Fat 24g37%

Saturated Fat 9g56%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 76mg25%

Sodium 667mg29%

Potassium 413mg12%

Carbohydrates 20g7%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 17g34%

Vitamin A 1078IU22%

Vitamin C 10mg12%

Calcium 333mg33%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.