Eggplant Boats
4 medium sized elongate eggplant
Salt
2/3 pound ricotta
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste
A small bunch parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
12 basil leaves, shredded
8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
Olive oil
Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, and score them deeply in a
crosshatch pattern, being careful not to puncture the skins. Salt
the cut surfaces well, and let the halves sit for an hour. Rinse off
the salt, pat the eggplant dry, and scoop out what you cut into a
crosshatch pattern to make eggplant boats, being careful not to
puncture the skins. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350 oven.
Chop the scooped out eggplant, and combine it with the ricotta,
cumin, parsley, and cayenne pepper. Correct seasoning, fold the egg
whites into the mixture, and fill the boats with it, putting them
into an oven-proof dish as you go. Decorate the boats with the
tomato slices and basil leaves, drizzle them with a little olive
oil, and bake them for about a half hour.
Judy/Buffalo
http://www.nancyskitchen.com
