Eggplant and roasted garlic tart

I love eggplant!  It is so versatile and delicious; it can be baked into casseroles, mashed into purees and dips, grilled for salads, sliced and fried as an appetizer, pureed into soups, and even baked into pies like the one pictured above.

I have this fantastic cookbook called Fields of Greens by Annie Somerville.  It is a collection of vegetarian recipes from her restaurant, Greens Restaurant, in San Francisco.  I've tried several recipes from this book and have yet to run across something that doesn't turn out delicious!

With the abundance of locally grown eggplant (in all its many varieties) available around town from farmer's markets and roadside stands, I decided to give her recipe for eggplant and roasted garlic tart a try.  It turned out fantastic!

roasted garlic, eggplant, and sun-dried tomatoes in a tart shell



all ready for the oven with imported provolone, eggs and half-and-half poured over top

slice and serve with garden fresh tomatoes......YUM!

INGREDIENTS:

1 recipe tart dough

1 head of garlic

2 T olive oil

1/2 Japanese eggplant, sliced 3/4 inch thick on the diagonal

3/4 T chopped fresh oregano

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup half-n-half

2 ounces imported provolone cheese, grated

2 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and thinly sliced

METHOD:

1.  line a tart pan with the dough

2.  preheat oven to 375.  Brush the garlic head with olive oil and roast on a pan until soft (about 30 minutes)  Remove from oven and when cool enough to handle, squeeze the cloves out of their skins.  Reserve half and mash the remaining half into a paste.

3.  Brush eggplant slices with olive oil, salt and pepper and place on a large baking sheet.  Roast in the same oven until soft, about 15 minutes.  Remove and when cool, slice each into 2 or 3 strips.

4.  Beat the eggs in a bowl and whisk in the mased garlic, the half-and--half, 1/2 t salt and pepper to taste.

5.  Spread the grated cheese on the bottom of the tart shell.  Lay the eggplant slices on the cheese, followed by the roasted garlic cloves and the sun-dried tomatoes.  Pour the custard over all and bake for 40 minutes or until the top is golden and the custard is set.