Potato and Eggplant Flan

Here is the recipe for a tasty potato and eggplant flan, a more Mediterranean variant of the classic potato pie.

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants
• 4 medium-sized potatoes
• 1 mozzarella (about 200 g)
• 100 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
• Fresh basil (a few leaves)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Butter for greasing the baking dish

Preparation

1. Start by washing the potatoes, place them in a pot with cold water, and cook until they are soft but still whole. Drain them and let them cool before peeling and slicing them not too thinly.
2. Meanwhile, wash and slice the eggplants to about half a centimeter thick. Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush each slice with extra virgin olive oil, then bake in the oven at 180 °C for about 15 minutes or until soft, making sure to turn them halfway through cooking.
3. In a bowl, beat the eggs with salt and pepper. Add the grated Parmesan cheese and mix everything well.
4. Cut the mozzarella into cubes and roughly tear the washed and dried basil with your hands.
5. Now, grease a baking dish with a little butter and sprinkle the bottom with a dusting of breadcrumbs.
6. Begin to assemble the flan by layering the slices of potatoes, then arrange a layer of eggplant on top, followed by the mozzarella and basil and proceed by pouring over some of the egg and Parmesan mixture.
7. Continue with the layers until you use up the ingredients, trying to finish with potatoes and a sprinkle of Parmesan.
8. Bake the potato and eggplant flan at 200 °C for 20-30 minutes or until the surface becomes golden.
9. Let it rest for a few minutes before serving.

Curiosity

This dish combines the sweet, earthy potatoes with the slightly bitter taste of eggplants, creating a pleasing contrast on the palate, typical of Italian cuisine which loves to play with the flavors of seasonal vegetables. For an even more traditional Italian variant, you can add a few tablespoons of tomato sauce between the layers or a handful of roasted peppers to enrich the taste.