The batter for this eggplant is very simple, yet flavorful as it is made by simply whisking white wine into an unbleached all purpose flour until it has a consistency that is slightly lighter than pancake batter. Beyond that the only seasoning is sea salt and white pepper. Then fry in a very light oil (I used Canola) until golden, then season lightly with sea salt and a squeeze of lemon. I served it here with a classic carbonara. The only exception I took was instead of using pancetta, I used an extra thick sliced applewood smoked bacon.
I do think an improvement to this meal would be to plate the eggplant with tomato sauce or a nice basquaise (pepper and tomato). Also I like peas in my pasta. Frozen green peas are really nice in a cream sauce. As a guy who likes to eat meat at pretty much every opportunity, I'll say this is actually a surprisingly satisfying meal. And if you're still hungry, there's always more carbonara!
Don't know if my wife would go for the eggplants but I sure will. A dish that good looking has got to taste good. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteIf anyone is a little skittish about eggplant, I suggest trying thinner slices to begin with. Eggplant cooked following the method above does not turn out mushy unless you start with overly ripe product or overcook it. Regardless, it should be served and eaten immediately.
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