Eggplant, zucchini, and artichoke cake
...or as the British call it
Aubergine, courgette, and artichoke cake
My friend sent me an old copy of Sainsbury's wonderful magazine a few weeks ago and among the many yummy recipes, my eyes fell Alan Mackay's "cake". It was time-consuming and a little confusin, but everyone at my house adored it and it made good use of a lot of yummy things from our late summer garden.
I haven't seen the recipe online anywhere, so I'll post it here with American English explanations where necessary.
Serves 6
Try to pick out the biggest, straightest aubergines (eggplants) when you shop, to make your life easier when it comes to lining the tin. You might like to serve this and the gratin (there is a lentil gratin recipe in the magazine too) with some rocket (arugula) dressed with olive oil.
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Do ahead The cake can be prepare a day in advance. Store in the fridge, covered with clingfilm. Bake as below but add another 10 minutes to the cooking time.
Ingredients
2 large, firm aubergines (eggplants)
9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon caster sugar, plus a pinch
2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 X 400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 X 25g pack basil, leaves only, thinkly sliced
3 medium, firm courgettes (zucchini), sliced 0.5cm thick
250g mascarpone
100g grated parmesan
75g fresh breadcrumbs
1X400g tin artichokes, drained and halved
You will also need
a 23cm, preferably springform, cake tin and 2 large baking sheets lined with baking parchment
Preheat the oven to 200C, fan 180C, gas 6 (I'd say try 400F),. Cut the tops off the aubergines, peel them then halve each lengthways. Then, with the cut side down, slice each half horizontally into 4. Place the slices flat on the 2 lined baking sheets. Mix 4 tablespoons of the olive oil with the vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon acaster sugar. brush generously over the top of the aubergines, season, then bake for 15-10 minutes, until soft. Swap the baking sheets between the over shelves halfway through so that the aubergines cook evenly.
Put the sliced onion and three quarters of the garlic into a medium saucepan with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and 3 tablespoons of water. Cover and cook over a medium heat for 7-10 minutes, until soft. Add the tomatoes and tomato puree, bring to the boil, then simmer for 12 minutes until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Add half of the basil, season to taste with salt, freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of sugar, then set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan; add thecourgettes and saute on high heat for 3 minutes. Add the remaining garlic then suate for 30 seconds. Season then drain on kitchen paper.
Mix together the mascarpone with 80g of the parmesan; season well.
Place your cake tin, without the base, on a baking sheet lined with silicone paper or a double layer of baking parchment. Brush both with oil. Place a slice of aubergine with the thin end facing into the centre and a little of the thick end overlapping the side of the tin. Overlap each following slice until the base and the sides of the tin are covered; tuck the final slice underneath the first.
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the aubergines, then spread the courgettes over the top and press down. Srpead over the mascarpone mixture, leaving 4 cm around the edge then sprinkle over the remaining basil. Spoon over the tomato sauce and then add the artichokes.
Turn the overlapping aubergine inward, to make a border and press down well. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan over the artichokes; don't get any between the sides of the aubergine and tin as this will stick. Trickle over the remaining olive oil.
Bake for 1 hour on the middle shelf. Then slide the paper and tin on to a chopping board. Hold the in and pull out the paper. Loosen and lift off the tin.
next, cut into 6 with a very sharp knife; the middle oozes a bit-this is how it should be.
Aubergine, courgette, and artichoke cake
My friend sent me an old copy of Sainsbury's wonderful magazine a few weeks ago and among the many yummy recipes, my eyes fell Alan Mackay's "cake". It was time-consuming and a little confusin, but everyone at my house adored it and it made good use of a lot of yummy things from our late summer garden.
I haven't seen the recipe online anywhere, so I'll post it here with American English explanations where necessary.
Serves 6
Try to pick out the biggest, straightest aubergines (eggplants) when you shop, to make your life easier when it comes to lining the tin. You might like to serve this and the gratin (there is a lentil gratin recipe in the magazine too) with some rocket (arugula) dressed with olive oil.
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Do ahead The cake can be prepare a day in advance. Store in the fridge, covered with clingfilm. Bake as below but add another 10 minutes to the cooking time.
Ingredients
2 large, firm aubergines (eggplants)
9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon caster sugar, plus a pinch
2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 X 400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 X 25g pack basil, leaves only, thinkly sliced
3 medium, firm courgettes (zucchini), sliced 0.5cm thick
250g mascarpone
100g grated parmesan
75g fresh breadcrumbs
1X400g tin artichokes, drained and halved
You will also need
a 23cm, preferably springform, cake tin and 2 large baking sheets lined with baking parchment
Preheat the oven to 200C, fan 180C, gas 6 (I'd say try 400F),. Cut the tops off the aubergines, peel them then halve each lengthways. Then, with the cut side down, slice each half horizontally into 4. Place the slices flat on the 2 lined baking sheets. Mix 4 tablespoons of the olive oil with the vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon acaster sugar. brush generously over the top of the aubergines, season, then bake for 15-10 minutes, until soft. Swap the baking sheets between the over shelves halfway through so that the aubergines cook evenly.
Put the sliced onion and three quarters of the garlic into a medium saucepan with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and 3 tablespoons of water. Cover and cook over a medium heat for 7-10 minutes, until soft. Add the tomatoes and tomato puree, bring to the boil, then simmer for 12 minutes until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Add half of the basil, season to taste with salt, freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of sugar, then set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan; add thecourgettes and saute on high heat for 3 minutes. Add the remaining garlic then suate for 30 seconds. Season then drain on kitchen paper.
Mix together the mascarpone with 80g of the parmesan; season well.
Place your cake tin, without the base, on a baking sheet lined with silicone paper or a double layer of baking parchment. Brush both with oil. Place a slice of aubergine with the thin end facing into the centre and a little of the thick end overlapping the side of the tin. Overlap each following slice until the base and the sides of the tin are covered; tuck the final slice underneath the first.
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the aubergines, then spread the courgettes over the top and press down. Srpead over the mascarpone mixture, leaving 4 cm around the edge then sprinkle over the remaining basil. Spoon over the tomato sauce and then add the artichokes.
Turn the overlapping aubergine inward, to make a border and press down well. Sprinkle the remaining parmesan over the artichokes; don't get any between the sides of the aubergine and tin as this will stick. Trickle over the remaining olive oil.
Bake for 1 hour on the middle shelf. Then slide the paper and tin on to a chopping board. Hold the in and pull out the paper. Loosen and lift off the tin.
next, cut into 6 with a very sharp knife; the middle oozes a bit-this is how it should be.