Italian Eggplant Ricotta Bake, a creamy delicious Italian Oven Baked dish, filled with a perfectly spiced sautéed eggplant and a Ricotta topping. The perfect side dish.
Italian Eggplant Ricotta Bake
Italian Eggplant Ricotta BakeI guess you can’t get more Italian than eggplants and ricotta cheese. This easy, simple Italian Eggplant Ricotta Bake is a perfect summertime comfort food. Because sometimes we do need some summertime comfort.
Before I came to Italy I rarely ate eggplant and I never ate ricotta cheese, that is until I arrived at my mother-in-law’s table. I must admit though that I still don’t eat ricotta cheese on its own.
Ask my father-in-law what his favourite pasta is and without a doubt he will respond “a little pasta tossed with a lot of ricotta cheese”. Of course it will have to be spaghetti, none of that short pasta for him! Haha at least we agree on one thing!
So needless to say I rarely cook with ricotta. I make the occasional Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Pasta Shells and a tasty Ricotta and Chocolate Chip Cake recipe that I was lucky enough to get from a friend’s mother. But bake Eggplant and Ricotta as in casserole, nope never, until now.
Ricotta cheese is quite the amazing cheese, it doesn’t become watery, it doesn’t become stretchy, which can be a little embarrassing at times to eat!
It just becomes the perfect sort of soft, golden and a little bit crunchy, just the right cheesy topping.
Italian Eggplant Ricotta Bake
Even my youngest daughter who is a real picky eater, had two helpings of this Eggplant Ricotta Bake. Needless to say the Italian loved it. Like father like son I guess. Buon Appetito!
Italian Eggplant Ricotta Bake
Ingredients
FILLING
- 3 tablespoons olive oil (45 grams)
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 large eggplant diced (or 2 medium)
- 1 large tomato seeded and diced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 leaves fresh basil chopped
- 1 pinch thyme
- 1-2 pinches hot pepper flakes if desired
- 1/4 cup water (60 grams)
- TOPPING
- 1/2 cup ricotta (125 grams)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese (25 grams)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl toss together diced eggplant and 1/2 teaspoon salt let sit for approximately 20 minutes, drain but do not rinse.
FILLING
- In a large frying pan on medium heat add oil, onion and garlic, cook until transparent approximately 5 minutes, add drained eggplant and water cook until soft, approximately 5 minutes.
- Add chopped tomatoes, oregano, salt, basil, thyme & hot pepper flakes if using lower heat and simmer half covered for approximately 20-30 minutes until almost all the water has evaporated. Pre-heat oven to 350° (180° celsius), lightly grease 2 small baking dishes or 1 medium.
TOPPING
- In a small bowl mix together ricotta cheese and egg.
- Place filling in baking dish and top with ricotta cheese topping and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until ricotta cheese is soft and golden. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Crystal says
I’d like to say, this was extremely easy and oh, so flavorful, yea! , I decided to layer it like Lasagna then covered in ricotta. Doubled the recipe and froze the rest, freeze extremly well, just as flavorful! Thanks
Crystal
Rosemary says
Hi Crystal, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care.
Becky says
Oh so easy and yummy!
Rosemary says
Hi Becky, thanks so glad you enjoyed it.
Todd says
The ingredients list has thyme and red pepper flakes but those ingredients are not listed in the instructions. I noticed this towards the end and included them before baking.
Rosemary says
Hi Todd, sorry about that, I updated the recipes. Thanks
Ray Crymble says
Superb , full of flavour. I added some extra garlic but I always do!
Can see why it’s a family favourite. Everyone loved it.
Your blog is great, I really like the mini videos and search
Engine showing most visited etc
Rosemary says
Hi Ray, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed the recipe and the blog. Take care.
Devika says
I made this but found it to be extremely bland..I added in more basil than required as well as oregano but didn’t feel like there was a sense of really delicious flavour unfortunately! The cheese topping was delicious but the filling was not very exciting.
Beulah says
I will definitely try this. I love eggplant but I have never cooked it. So I’m willing to try thanks for sharing your recipe . I’m looking forward to more recipes.
Rosemary says
Hi Beulah, thanks so much, I hope you enjoy it. Let me know.
Deb says
Wonderful1 For the sauce, I used Marcella Hazan’s simple sauce (simmer together a can of toatoes, crushed, with their juice; 5 tablespoons of butter, and an onion peeled and cut in half for 45 minutes). I spritzed the crumbs with olive oil spray before baking. And the eggplant took more like an hour to bake. This is a definite keeper!!! (If I have fresh basil next time, I’ll layer in a few leaves.(
Rosemary says
Hi Deb, thanks so much, what a great idea, sounds delicious. Have a great weekend.
Marina says
Thank you so much for this recipy. I just finished dinner. My partner promissed me everything when I allowed him to have an extra portion 🙂
I’m going to try more of your recipies, sonn will be more compliments!
Rosemary says
Hi Marina, thanks so much, I am so glad your partner enjoyed it. Let me know what else you try and how it goes! Have a great weekend. 🙂
Veronica@downcakerylane says
This looks sooooo good! I’m actually curious about trying your father-in-law’s pasta, lol! Do you add any other seasonings to it- the ricotta with pasta? I love eggplant- they’re so beautiful right now and I’ve been wanting to buy one- this dish sounds perfect! 🙂
Rosemary says
Hi Veronica, thank you, apparently my mother-in-law tosses the pasta, with some ricotta and a little bit of olive oil together and that’s it.
Ann says
I’ve made eggplant parmsean with ricotta and mozzarella. I’ve never diced the eggplant. Definitely trying your recipe. So glad I found you.
Rosemary says
Hi Ann, let me know how you enjoy it. So glad you came.
ladygourmet says
Dear Rose, this sounds and looks wonderfully comforting. A wonderful way to prepare eggplant next time. xo, Catherine
Rosemary says
Hi Catherine, thank you.
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
It looks scrumptious and Italian men can be a little on the stubborn side. If you would have asked my mamma she would have told you that I was just like my papa. But as far as food goes? I like just about anything if it is cooked right except insects or rodents 🙁 I shiver at the thought. I love eggplant and we just don’t make it enough. You’ve inspired to me to grab an eggplant at the Farmers Market. Gracie!