This is actually an eggplant timbale…….but most people never heard of a timbale so I am calling this eggplant wrapped baked ziti because it is closest to that. A timbale might be layers of food or a combination of pasta, and or custard, rice, potatoes, eggs, cheese, meat, or vegetables held together with egg and usually baked and is traditionally covered with bread crumbs. A timbale is usually molded but also can be covered in pastry. Serving size is always difficult to judge because some people want a tiny slice and other people want a great big wedge. This made 9 (what I consider large) portions. I’ll post 8 portions.

Ingredients for around 8 portions

8oz of a tube shaped pasta – cooked in salty water, drained and set to the side

2 eggplants -peeled – sliced thin (I sliced most longways but slicing across is easier….it doesn’t really matter)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (I had to guesstimate this…I used an oil squirt bottle to oil eggplants lightly)

1 cup Localtelli cheese – shredded ( you can substitute any hard Italian cheese)

16 oz ricotta cheese (preferably home made and drained…if not a good quality one drained)

8 oz provalone cheese – I used slices and grated around half the cheese reserved (1/2 the provolone mixed with the other cheeses and the slices I used near the bottom (just under the eggplant.

2 eggs – lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

Optional 1/2 cup green beans (mine were cooked and chopped up) (can substitute peas, a different vegetable like drained spinach, or a cooked meat)

2 Tablespoons fresh basil chopped

1 cup tomato sauce (preferably home made plus extra for serving)

non stick spray

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Either set oven to broil or heat up your grill but NOTE*****on an outdoor grill you will not be able to get your eggplant slices as thin…..so things will be slightly off. If you are broiling your eggplant slices you need to sprinkle them with oil and the smallest amount of salt and pepper (you hardly need any here because it condenses) Take the eggplant out when they look slightly charred and golden and set to the side.

All the filling gets mixed together in a big bowl….cheeses, eggs, black pepper, nutmeg, green beans, basil…(maybe a small amount of the tomato sauce….(I used a small amount so my pasta wouldn’t stick)

Spray springform pan with non stick spray. Line your pan with eggplant in a thin layer and have ends of eggplant hanging off the ends.

Then you put a thin layer of provolone above the eggplant. Next a thin layer of tomato sauce.

Filling goes in next.

Top the filling with a layer of provolone and a thing layer of tomato sauce. Top that with remaining eggplant.

Fold up the ends of the eggplant.

Springform pans usually leak so put a lined sheet pan under to collect to mess.

Spray some aluminum foil with non stick spray……Cover the dish spray side down so it doesn’t stick.

This goes on the middle rack of a 350 degree preheated oven for 90 minutes.

This needs to set up over night.

Cut serving size and reheat and serve with more sauce and extra grated cheese and maybe some crumbled tarallini crackers for some crumbs.

Enjoy!

A while back Fry’s had a sale on Avocados. I got a bag of 4 avocados that were small like eggs and stayed hard like rocks for about a month now. I figured I’d try to do something with them. These avocados were difficult to open up and I feared inedible but I made them tasty. I did a basic seasoned flour on them and then dipped them into egg and I had a cup of leftover take out rice so I sprinkled the rice on them. Baked them till crispy and whipped up a sauce. They came out tasty. I don’t know if this recipe will work as well on softer avocados. Mine came out almost like potatoes. If you find yourself with some hard avocados you might want to give this recipe a try. Ingredients for 2-4 avocado. Mine were unusually small avocados. My guess is that this recipe will make 4-8 servings depending on how much avocado that you want to eat. I think most people will eat a half avocado if they use very small avocado. I think most people would only eat a quarter of a larger avocado. This recipe worked well with small hard avocados so that is what I would suggest.

Ingredients for around 8 servings

4 small hard avocados – cut in half long ways, pit removed and scooped out of skin

3 Tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 eggs

1 cup of leftover take out rice

non stick spray

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (guesstimated…I just sprayed them with oil from my squirt bottle

3 Tablespoons tahini

1 Tablespoon white miso

1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 Tablespoon sriracha (I used Shark Brand that is very sweet and mellow)

1 Tablespoon Sambal (or to taste)

1/3 cup yuzu juice (I had this leftover but you can substitute a combination of fresh squeezed orange and lime juice)

Sea salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray baking sheet with non stick spray and set it to the side.

In a gallon zip lock bag add the flour, chili powder, salt, black pepper. Shake it to mix and add avocados. Shake gently to coat avocados.

Take out the avocados and pour leftover seasoned flour into small mixing bowl. Add the eggs to the mixing bowl and mix well. Coat each piece of avocado with the egg mixture. Then sprinkle the rice on both sides of each avocado and place on sprayed baking sheet.

These go in the preheated 350 degree F oven till crispy and slightly brown. (around 30 minutes)

Make sauce while the avocado are baking.

In a small mixing bowl combine the tahini, miso, vinegar, oil, sriracha, Sambel (to taste) citrus juice. Add black pepper to taste. I didn’t think mine needed salt but you might want a little more salt.

When the avocados get lightly browned and crispy take them out and serve with the sauce you’ve just whipped up.

Enjoy!