WINE WITH…Eggplant and Tomato Gratin

We tend to take eggplant for granted. Unlike many other fresh summer vegetables such as fresh corn and local tomatoes, eggplant is pretty much available in supermarkets year round, and it is almost always pretty good. Eggplant is a sturdy vegetable, with a long shelf life, and it adapts well to a variety of preparations, from baba ganoush to ratatouille to moussaka. Curried eggplant is a standard, as are spicy Asian eggplant and eggplant parmigiana. When we recently prepared a couple of eggplants we’d bought at the farmers’ market that morning, we were reminded that very fresh eggplant is actually far superior to the well-travelled industrial specimens we depend on most of the year. Compact yet tender, these recently harvested vegetables had a uniquely delicate flavor that seemed designed specifically to be baked with tomatoes and cheese, and enjoyed with a glass or two of wine.

Eggplant and Tomato Gratin

Serves 4

½ cup olive oil (divided use)
2 medium eggplants
4 medium tomatoes
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
1 log (about 5 ounces) fresh goat cheese
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
½ cup dried breadcrumbs such as Panko

Preheat oven to 375°.

Spread about 2 tablespoons olive oil on the bottom of a 9×10 or 8×5 inch baking dish. Peel the eggplants and cut them in slices roughly ¼ to ½ inch thick. Slice the tomatoes about the same thickness. Mix together the thyme, oregano, garlic and red pepper flakes.

Place as many eggplant slices as will fit in a single layer on the bottom of the baking dish, pressing them lightly into the olive oil. Turn the slices over and sprinkle about half the herb mixture over them. Season with a little salt and pepper. Cover the eggplant slices with about half the tomatoes. Dot with half the goat cheese and add salt and pepper. Add another layer of eggplant and the herb mixture. Sprinkle on salt and pepper and drizzle with more olive oil. Layer on the remaining tomatoes and goat cheese, adding salt, pepper and more olive oil. Cover the dish and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and return the dish to the oven to bake for another 20 minutes. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top and add the breadcrumbs. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and return to oven. Bake another 10 minutes or so, or until the dish is nicely browned and bubbly.