Eggplant with Honey, Crispy Garlic and Ricotta
Crunchy, creamy, sweet and smoky…Eggplant with Honey, Crispy Garlic and Ricotta brings a variety of colors, tastes and textures together. It perfectly embodies the phrase “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” So, even if you’re not the biggest eggplant fan, this spectacular recipe is definitely worth a go.
Jump to RecipeIngredients
You’ll need one medium to large-sized eggplant, ricotta, honey and garlic for this recipe.
Salted Eggplant Slices
Slice the eggplant into 1/2″ rounds and lightly salt. Use a paper towel to pat dry slices before putting them in the pan.
Cooking Eggplant Slices
Using a large skillet, heat olive oil. When oil is hot and shimmering, add eggplant slices without crowding the pan. Cook until golden brown on both sides, approx. 15 minutes total. If a second batch is needed, add more oil to the pan and repeat.
Transfer eggplant to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.
Crisping Garlic Slices
In the same pan, reduce the heat to low and add a little more oil and garlic slices. Cook until golden brown on both sides, approx. 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer to the paper towel-lined plate with the eggplant.
Eggplant with Honey, Crispy Garlic and Ricotta
Spread ricotta on a serving platter. Top with eggplant and garlic. Drizzle with honey, sprinkle with red pepper flakes and cilantro or basil. Serve immediately.
Eggplant with Honey, Crispy Garlic and Ricotta
Ingredients
- 1 eggplant (medium to large sized) sliced into rounds
- kosher salt for salting the eggplant and as needed for seasoning
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more as needed
- 5 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta
- 1 tablespoon honey your favorite type, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes to taste
- torn fresh cilantro or basil leaves optional
Instructions
- Slice eggplant into 1/2" rounds.
- Sprinkle eggplant lightly with salt, and let sit while heating the skillet.
- Heat a large skillet on medium. When hot, add oil and heat until oil is shimmering. Pat eggplant dry if necessary, then arrange in a single layer in the skillet, cooking in batches if necessary to prevent crowding. (Eggplant quickly soaks up oil so when you flip the eggplant, feel free to add more oil to the pan.)
- Cook until softened and golden brown, about 15 minutes total (approx 8 mins on the first side).
- Transfer cooked eggplant to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle very lightly with more salt.
- When all eggplant is cooked and removed from the pan, reduce heat to low. Add a little more oil (approx. 1 tablespoon) and then add garlic slices on top of oil. Cook until just golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer garlic to the paper towel-lined plate with the eggplant.
To Assemble
- Spread ricotta on a serving plate. Top with eggplant and crispy garlic. Drizzle with honey, sprinkle with red pepper flakes, and cilantro or basil.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Recipe from New York Times Cooking and slightly modified by me.
If you like this recipe, you may also like these other GFchow recipes. Grilled Zucchini & Squash with Cheese Crumbles, Pine Nuts and Truffle Honey, Smashed Thyme Potatoes with Aioli and Balsamic Syrup, and Herb-Baked Acorn Squash with Parmesan.
Gluten Free Disclaimer
The recipes you find here are considered by me to be gluten free. However, it is up to you to make sure the ingredients you use are gluten free. Whenever possible, I will list specific brands of ingredients that I use, but always be sure to check the labels yourself to verify the item is gluten free.
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