Eggplant and Ricotta Strudel

The eggplant and ricotta strudel is a very tasty variant that combines elements of Italian cuisine with a form of preparation typical of Central-Eastern Europe. Here’s the recipe for you.

Ingredients

• 2 large eggplants
• 250 g of ricotta
• 1 rectangular sheet of puff pastry
• 100 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Fresh basil (a few leaves)
• 1 clove of garlic
• Butter (a small piece for brushing)
• Sesame or poppy seeds to decorate (optional)

Preparation

1. Wash the eggplants, cut them into slices about half a centimeter thick, and let them drain with some coarse salt for about 30 minutes.
2. Rinse the eggplant slices from the released vegetation water and dry them with a clean cloth.
3. In a pan, heat the oil and sauté the garlic to flavor it, then remove the garlic and add the eggplant slices. Cook the eggplants until they are golden brown on both sides.
4. In a bowl, mix the ricotta with the eggs, Parmesan, chopped basil, salt, and pepper until you get a homogeneous mixture.
5. Roll out the puff pastry and spread the ricotta mixture evenly over the center of the pastry.
6. Place the cooked eggplant slices on top of the ricotta.
7. Roll up the puff pastry with the filling inside, making sure to seal the edges well to prevent the filling from leaking out during cooking.
8. Brush the surface of the strudel with some melted butter and, if you like, sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.
9. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 30 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden brown and cooked.
10. Let it cool slightly before cutting into slices and serving.

You can accompany this strudel with a fresh green salad or a tomato simply dressed with oil, salt, and fresh basil. Pairing with a slightly sour sauce like one based on yogurt can be a nice contrast.

Curiosity

The strudel is originally from Austria and the surrounding regions, but its popularity has spread to many countries in Europe, and each has created local variations, like the version with eggplants typical of Italian cuisine.