Eggplant 'flat bread' (video)

[Jenise]

Paulo Faustini who used to hang out here posted this on Facebook. He raved about it: thinly sliced eggplant pieces are tossed with leeks etc and stirred into a thick flour-water mixture then spread out on parchment and baked. The result browns beautifully on the bottom and becomes something crisp you can slice into squares with a knife, hence 'flatbread'. The demo is a little hard to watch--the guy's knife skills are not media-worthy--but I can't wait to try this myself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6q4PngSTmA

Interesting recipe. I love eggplant and am always interested in new ways to prepare. During season, I cook eggplant several times a week, but almost always sauteeing. Sometimes I'll roast slices, and occasionally I will bake and then puree. But this could be a nice twist and fun match with different wines!

Paulo Faustini who used to hang out here posted this on Facebook. He raved about it: thinly sliced eggplant pieces are tossed with leeks etc and stirred into a thick flour-water mixture then spread out on parchment and baked. The result browns beautifully on the bottom and becomes something crisp you can slice into squares with a knife, hence 'flatbread'. The demo is a little hard to watch--the guy's knife skills are slow--but I can't wait to try this myself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6q4PngSTmA

I like watching those videos but how does one get the written recipe?

Karen, if you expand the gray box under the YouTube video and click on ...show more... you will find the printed recipe. Of course it is for an intuitive cook like yourself. Who knows what 1 eggplant and 2 onions, 1 glass of water actually means?? At least you see the whole process to get the idea.

[Jenise]

Interesting recipe. I love eggplant and am always interested in new ways to prepare. During season, I cook eggplant several times a week, but almost always sauteeing. Sometimes I'll roast slices, and occasionally I will bake and then puree. But this could be a nice twist and fun match with different wines!

Exactly! This is a technique I've never seen before. Might adapt well to other vegetables, like fennel!

That looks interesting, certainly worth a try., I’ve got some eggplant.
I’m surprised the presenter still has all his fingers, I guess that’s a function of slow speed, watching it gave me the horrors.

I had a number of thoughts watching the video of the first.

1) How big the fruit is, thus that a recipe in one region might no mean the same in another. I'd need two to get something like that same number of slices he does.

2) The advantage of edits. Did we really need to see him cut every slice?

3) How much salt he used

[Jenise]

Peter et al, another fault is that he served in in a basket crisp side down. First of all, the bottom's the most attractive side and secondly, you'd want it bottom side up just to protect crispness.

3) How much salt he used

Too much or too little?

[Jenise]

Probably too much. I don't think Peter uses much salt. But criticizing that beyond the dessication step doesn't make a lot of sense, since as in any recipe that's always "to taste".

well, salt is a contentious issue, and if I made this dish it'd be my choice not to add salt in such quantity..

He liberally sprinkled the fruit slices with salt (one side only, strangely) but didn't wash off the salt, just patted the slices dry of any extracted water.

Then, after chopping the leek, parsley and onion and placing in a bowl with the fruit, he added a lot more salt, even though the fruit was already covered with it.

He made a water and flour batter to which he added more salt, so yes I thought the dish, light in vegetables, was overloaded with salt.

[Jenise]

Peter, thoughtful explanation, though do understand I wasn't being critical. I just understand that you use less salt than I do; though yeah, I probably wouldn't have used as much as he did. Moreover, that's the kind of thing where, other than the dessication step, adding salt as a surface seasoner after the cook might be the most interesting flavor, like it is on a pretzel.

I also thought it was odd that he did not rinse off the salt used in the dessication step.

As to the rest of the salting, my guess is that flour + water is pretty bland and adding salt is a quick way to liven things up.

[Jenise]

Jeff, agree but figured it would pick up enough from the unrinsed eggplant.