Best 5 Breaded Eggplant With Fontina Cheese And Anchovies Recipes

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Prepare to tantalize your taste buds with a culinary journey through Italy as we explore the delectable dish of breaded eggplant with fontina cheese and anchovies. This classic Italian recipe combines the smoky flavor of grilled eggplant with the gooey goodness of melted fontina cheese and the briny tang of anchovies, creating a harmonious symphony of flavors that will leave you craving for more. Our collection of recipes offers variations on this timeless dish, ensuring there's something for every palate. From the traditional preparation to innovative twists that incorporate different cheeses, herbs, and sauces, these recipes promise an unforgettable eggplant experience. Get ready to embark on a culinary adventure that will transport you to the heart of Italy with every bite.

Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!

EGGPLANT ROLLATINI WITH ANCHOVY BREADCRUMBS



Eggplant Rollatini with Anchovy Breadcrumbs image

Bobby Flay is always up for a challenge: He has filmed more than 500 episodes of his competition show Beat Bobby Flay, and after facing off against some of the country's best chefs - and trying to one-up them on their own signature dishes - he now has a lot of recipes and tricks in his arsenal. In his latest cookbook you'll find many of his winning recipes, along with plenty from the chefs who beat him. "Some of the recipes are memorable for being challenging, some for being surprising and some for giving me the opportunity to cook with my favorite ingredients alongside good friends and some of the best chefs in the business," he says. These eggplant rollatini are a perfect example: He made the dish during season 18 in a battle with chef and cheese guru Tracey Shepos Cenami, and he won with the help of his anchovy panko breadcrumbs. Try them yourself!

Provided by Bobby Flay

Categories     main-dish

Time 1h20m

Yield 4 servings, plus 1 cup of anchovy breadcrumbs

Number Of Ingredients 22

3 medium eggplants, cut lengthwise into twelve 1/2-inch-thick slices
8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium Spanish onion, finely diced
5 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 28-ounce can peeled whole tomatoes, undrained
1 to 2 tablespoons Calabrian chile paste, to taste
12 fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces, plus more (optional) for serving
16 ounces whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small dice
3/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
4 ounces low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella, coarsely grated
Anchovy Breadcrumbs (recipe follows), for serving
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
5 oil-packed anchovy fillets, chopped
3 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 400˚ F.
  • Arrange the eggplant in an even layer on two sheet pans. Brush both sides with 6 tablespoons of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until lightly golden brown and very tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. (The eggplant can be cooked up to 1 day in advance, cooled and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.) Reduce the oven temperature to 375˚ F.
  • Meanwhile, make the sauce: Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the tomatoes with their juices and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Crush the tomatoes with a potato masher. Add the chile paste and basil and cook the sauce until it thickens, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Make the filling: Mix together the ricotta, egg, diced mozzarella and 1/4 cup of the Pecorino in a medium bowl until combined. Season with salt and pepper and fold in the parsley and oregano.
  • Ladle 1 cup of the sauce into the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spread 2 tablespoons of the cheese filling over each eggplant slice. Carefully roll up and place them, seam-side down, in the baking dish. Once all the eggplant rolls are in the dish, ladle another cup of the sauce evenly over them and sprinkle the grated mozzarella and remaining 1/2 cup Pecorino over the top.
  • Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has melted and turned lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top and garnish with torn basil, if desired.
  • Heat the oil in a medium skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the anchovies and cook until dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
  • Add the panko and spread into an even layer. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip the crumbs, press them into an even layer again and cook until the bottom is golden brown, about 3 minutes longer. Add the lemon zest and season with pepper and more salt, if desired.
  • Spread on a large plate or sheet pan and let cool. Store, tightly covered, in a cool, dry place for 1 day, or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Re-crisp in a dry skillet over low heat before using.

BREADED EGGPLANT WITH FONTINA CHEESE AND ANCHOVIES



Breaded Eggplant With Fontina Cheese And Anchovies image

Provided by Craig Claiborne And Pierre Franey

Categories     appetizer, main course, side dish

Time 1h

Yield Four servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

4 rounds eggplant, each about 1-inch thick, a total weight of about 3/4 pound
Salt to taste, if desired
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons water
1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
Oil for shallow frying
4 rounds Fontina cheese, about 2 ounces
4 anchovy fillets, drained
Tomato sauce (see recipe), optional
Garlic, oil and anchovy sauce (see recipe), optional

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
  • If desired, trim off and discard the skin of each eggplant round. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Dip each round in flour and shake off excess. Beat the egg with water and dredge each round, bottom and sides, in the mixture. Dredge each, bottom and sides, in the bread crumbs. Shake off excess.
  • Fill a heavy skillet with oil to a depth of about half an inch. Heat until the temperature on a fat thermometer is about 375 degrees. Add the eggplant rounds in one layer and cook, turning occasionally, about three minutes or until each round is golden brown and cooked through. Drain on absorbent paper towels.
  • Arrange the rounds on a baking sheet or tin. Top each with a round of Fontina cheese. Split each anchovy fillet in half. Arrange two pieces of anchovy in the shape of a cross in the center of each piece of cheese. Place in the oven and bake five minutes or until the cheese is thoroughly melted. Serve, if desired, with tomato sauce or garlic, oil and anchovy sauce.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 460, UnsaturatedFat 12 grams, Carbohydrate 65 grams, Fat 17 grams, Fiber 19 grams, Protein 17 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 1482 milligrams, Sugar 21 grams, TransFat 0 grams

EGGPLANT SANDWICHES WITH FONTINA CHEESE AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES



Eggplant Sandwiches With Fontina Cheese And Sun-Dried Tomatoes image

Provided by Craig Claiborne And Pierre Franey

Categories     lunch, main course

Time 15m

Yield Four servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

4 rounds eggplant, each about 1-inch thick, a total weight of about 3/4 pound
Salt to taste, if desired
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 small rounds Fontina cheese, about 2 ounces
4 bottled sun-dried tomatoes, drained and split in half
1/2 cup flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons water
1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
Oil for shallow frying
Tomato sauce (see recipe), optional
Garlic, oil and anchovy sauce (see recipe), optional

Steps:

  • If desired, trim off and discard the skin of each eggplant round. Place each round on a flat surface and hold a knife parallel to the surface. Cut each round in half, splitting each sandwichlike almost but not through to the end. Leave a small hinge at one end of each round. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Fill each sandwich with a round of Fontina cheese and top each piece of cheese with a sun-dried tomato. Close each sandwich.
  • Dip each sandwich in flour and shake off excess. Beat the egg with water and dredge each sandwich, bottom and sides, in the mixture. Dredge each sandwich, bottom and sides, in bread crumbs to coat thoroughly. Shake off excess.
  • Fill a heavy skillet with oil to a depth of about half an inch. Heat until the temperature on a fat thermometer is about 375 degrees. Add the sandwiches in one layer and cook, turning occasionally, about three minutes or until each round is golden brown and cooked through. Drain on absorbent paper towels. Serve, if desired, with tomato sauce or garlic, oil and anchovy sauce.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 442, UnsaturatedFat 11 grams, Carbohydrate 66 grams, Fat 15 grams, Fiber 19 grams, Protein 15 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 1469 milligrams, Sugar 22 grams, TransFat 0 grams

SCALLOPINE WITH EGGPLANT AND FONTINA CHEESE



Scallopine with Eggplant and Fontina Cheese image

Categories     Sauce     Cheese     Side     Bake     Roast     Eggplant     Boil

Yield makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 medium eggplant (about 1 1/4 pounds)
Salt
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or more as needed
8 to 12 fresh sage leaves, optional, plus more for decorating the plates
4 portions Veal, Chicken, Turkey, or Pork Scallopine (see page 248)
Freshly ground black pepper
4 slices (about 2 ounces) imported Italian prosciutto
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
All-purpose flour
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup dry white wine, see page 246 for guidance
1 cup hot Chicken Stock (page 74) or canned reduced-sodium chicken broth, or as needed
1/4 cup canned Italian plum tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), seeded and chopped
5 ounces Italian Fontina cheese, cut into thin slices
2 tablespoons Tomato Sauce (page 151, or use another) or liquid from the canned tomatoes

Steps:

  • Trim the stem from the eggplant. Remove strips of peel about 1 inch wide from the eggplant, leaving about half the peel intact, and cut the eggplant into 1-inch slices. Sprinkle a baking sheet with salt. Arrange the eggplant slices over the salt and sprinkle the tops with salt. Let them stand until both sides are wet, about 30 minutes. Rinse the eggplant under cool running water, drain thoroughly, and pat dry.
  • Preheat the oven to 400° F. Wipe the baking sheet clean and oil it generously, using about 3 tablespoons of the oil. Arrange the eggplant slices on the baking sheet and turn to coat them with oil. Roast until tender and well browned, turning them and rotating them in the pan as necessary, about 20 minutes. Remove and cool. Increase the oven temperature to 450° F.
  • Lay one sage leaf, if using, over the center of each scallopine. Season the scallopine lightly with salt and pepper, keeping in mind that the prosciutto is cured with salt. Cover each scallopine with a piece of the prosciutto, and tap the prosciutto with the back of a knife so it adheres well to the meat.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy, wide skillet over medium heat. Dredge the scallopine in flour to coat both sides lightly. Tap off excess flour, and add as many scallopine to the skillet, prosciutto side down, as will fit without overlapping. Cook just until the prosciutto is light golden, about 2 minutes. (Overcooking will toughen the prosciutto.) Turn, and cook until the second side is browned, about 2 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining scallopine, adding more oil if necessary.
  • After removing the last scallopine, pour in the remaining tablespoon of oil and scatter the garlic in the skillet. Cook, turning, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. (Lower the heat, if necessary, so the bits of flour that stick to the pan don't burn while the garlic is browning.) Pour the wine into the skillet, bring to a boil, and boil until almost completely evaporated. Pour in the stock and drop in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Bring to a boil, stir in the chopped tomatoes, and boil until the sauce is lightly reduced and glossy, about 4 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, arrange the scallopine side by side in a baking dish. Cover each with eggplant, cutting or tearing the slices as necessary to cover all the scallopine more or less evenly. Top with the Fontina slices, dividing them evenly. Dot the top of each Fontina slice with a dab of tomato sauce. Pour the pan sauce around the scallopine.
  • Bake until the cheese is melted and lightly browned in places and the sauce is lightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Divide the scallopine among warm serving plates. Spoon the sauce-through a strainer, if you like-around the scallopine. Decorate the plates with sage leaves, if desired.

BAKED EGGPLANT WITH RICOTTA, MOZZARELLA AND ANCHOVY



Baked Eggplant With Ricotta, Mozzarella and Anchovy image

I learned this dish from a Sicilian cook in a small town outside Palermo. She makes it by layering thinly sliced eggplant with fresh curd cheese and caciocavallo (I use fresh ricotta and provolone instead), as well as pecorino and Parmesan cheese - a bit like a lasagna without pasta. It is quite delicious and unusual in that there is no tomato sauce, as there often is in so many Sicilian baked eggplant dishes. The anchovies, melted into the crisp bread-crumb-and-cheese topping, provide a sharp contrast to the sweetness of the eggplant. I like to serve a tomato salad alongside.

Provided by David Tanis

Categories     casseroles, main course

Time 2h

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

Extra-virgin olive oil
3 or 4 small eggplants (about 2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
Salt and pepper
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
12 ounces fresh ricotta
1/2 pound smoked mozzarella, thinly sliced (or use fresh mozzarella)
2 cups provolone cheese, coarsely grated (about 1/2 pound)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup finely grated pecorino cheese (about 2 ounces)
12 anchovy fillets
1/4 cup toasted bread crumbs, preferably homemade
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Sicilian

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 375 degrees. Generously oil a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Season eggplant slices on both sides with salt and pepper. Arrange half the eggplant slices in one layer on bottom of dish, overlapping slices slightly. Drizzle or paint eggplant generously with olive oil. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper to taste and scatter onion slices evenly over surface.
  • With a small spoon, distribute the ricotta in little blobs evenly over surface, then arrange half the smoked mozzarella over the ricotta. Sprinkle with 1 cup grated provolone.
  • Make another layer of overlapping slices with remaining seasoned eggplant. Drizzle or paint eggplant generously with olive oil. Top surface evenly with remaining smoked mozzarella and provolone, then sprinkle with Parmesan and pecorino. Arrange anchovy fillets over top and sprinkle with bread crumbs.
  • Bake uncovered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until eggplant is quite tender when pierced with a fork and top is crisp and golden. (If top seems to be browning too quickly, tent with foil and reduce heat to 350 degrees.) Remove from oven, dust with oregano and let rest at least 20 minutes before cutting into squares. The dish is best served at room temperature, not piping hot.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 398, UnsaturatedFat 11 grams, Carbohydrate 12 grams, Fat 27 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 26 grams, SaturatedFat 15 grams, Sodium 908 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams

Tips:

  • Choose fresh, firm eggplants for the best flavor and texture.
  • Slice the eggplants evenly so they cook evenly.
  • Use a light hand when breading the eggplants, so the coating doesn't become too thick.
  • Fry the eggplants in hot oil until they are golden brown and crispy.
  • Drain the eggplants on paper towels to remove excess oil.
  • Serve the eggplants hot with your favorite dipping sauce.

Conclusion:

Breaded eggplant with fontina cheese and anchovies is a delicious and versatile dish that can be served as an appetizer, main course, or side dish. It is easy to make and can be customized to your liking. Whether you like your eggplant crispy or tender, with or without cheese, or with different toppings, this recipe is a great starting point for creating your own perfect breaded eggplant dish.

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