The eggplant was beloved by the Jews of Spain, an iconic food of their distinctive cuisine. It was most often served fried, boiled or stuffed. The Spanish Christians did not eat eggplant, which made it one of the foods that betrayed the Jews, Conversos and Crypto-Jews to the Inquisition. Yet, when the Sephardim fled to safety in the Ottoman Empire, they found there a passion for eggplant, leading to centuries of shared recipes and dishes. It seems especially appropriate, then, to share a recipe for eggplant at Pesah as it was a food of our affliction and our liberation.
This recipe is by writer and chef Viviane Bowell, the author of A Culinary Legacy: Recipes from a Sephardi Egyptian Kitchen and To Egypt with Love: Memories of a Bygone World. Viviane is one of the chefs of Savor: A Sephardic Music & Food Experience, created by Ladino singer Sarah Aroeste and I. As we were developing with the chefs the recipes to go with each song, Viviane was excited to offer her stuffed eggplant to go with El Dio la mate esta Grega, a song imagining a woman’s burnt eggplant causing the terrible fire of Thessaloniki.
Viviane’s heritage is a unique blend of different cultures and styles of cooking. She
was born and grew up in Egypt, where she says they must have eaten that beloved eggplant in some form nearly every day. As a young teen, she and her family moved to England where, she notes, eggplants are called “aubergines.” Her father’s ancestors originated in Toledo, were expelled from Spain and eventually settled in Constantinople. They left for Egypt in 1908 during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Her maternal grandparents were from Aleppo, but settled in Egypt in 1910.
This dish, fixed with matza meal, is perfect for Pesah. Being cheesy, it’s also good for Shavuot and delicious for Shabbat or any time.
Berendjenas Rellenas kon Keso
Eggplants with Smoky Cheese Filling
By Viviane Bowell
Makes 8 servings as a main dish
4 medium eggplants
3 tablespoons sunflower or other neutral vegetable oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1/3 cup chopped parsley (flat-leaf or curly)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1⁄2 teaspoon smoked paprika, or to taste
1⁄2 teaspoon ground turmeric (optional)
1⁄2 cup water
Salt
4 ounces (1 cup) feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup ricotta cheese
3⁄4 cup shredded cheddar or similar mature cheese
2/3 cup fine matzah meal or bread crumbs
Topping
3⁄4 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded or sliced)
1/3 cup shredded cheddar or similar mature cheese
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
For the eggplant (also called aubergines in England), cut each one in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the pulp, leaving about a 1-inch shell; you can use a melon baller, or a small teaspoon and a sharp knife works well. It doesn’t have to be a work of art because whatever pulp is left will soften in the oven and be covered by filling.
Place the eggplant pulp in a bowl and squeeze out all the (bitter) juices. You may have to do this twice.
Place the eggplant shells on a large rimmed baking sheet, cover with foil, and bake for about 10 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 5 minutes. The shells should be soft to handle, but not so soft that they can’t hold their shape. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Leave the oven on.
For the filling, heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until starting to turn golden brown, for 4 to 6 minutes. Add the eggplant pulp, chopped parsley, and stir well. Add the lemon juice, tomato paste, smoked paprika, and ground turmeric, if using. Stir well until all the ingredients are mixed, then add the water. Cover and simmer for about 12 minutes. Uncover, taste, and add salt as needed. Stir, then cook, uncovered, for another 2 or 3 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat.
When cool, tip the pulp mixture into a bowl. Add the matzah meal or bread crumbs and the feta, ricotta, shredded cheeses and additional smoked paprika to taste if desired. Mix to blend well. Stuff the par-baked eggplant shells with equal amounts of the pulp mixture, and place them on a lightly oiled rimmed baking sheet.
For the topping, cover each stuffed eggplant with half of each, the mozzarella and the cheddar or mature cheese. Cover loosely with foil and bake for about 15 minutes. Uncover, top with the remaining cheeses and bake for another 5 minutes, or until golden on top.
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