Eggplant, Bulgur and Tomato Casserole with Yogurt Topping Recipe (2024)

Ingredients

Yield:Serves 6 to 8

For the Tomato Sauce

• 1tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1small or ½ medium onion, chopped
• 2 to 4garlic cloves (to taste)
• 2pounds fresh tomatoes, quartered if you have a food mill; peeled, seeded and chopped if you don’t; or 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes in juice or crushed tomatoes in purée
• Salt
• freshly ground pepper
• ½teaspoon sugar
• ¼teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½teaspoon sweet paprika
• ¼teaspoon ground allspice

For the Gratin

• 1large eggplant (1½ to 1¾ pounds)
• 1cup coarse bulgur (No. 3)
• Extra virgin olive oil (1 to 2 tablespoons)
• Salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 3eggs
• 1cup thick Greek-style or drained yogurt
• Salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• paprika to taste
• 2ounces about ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan

Preparation

1. Step

   1

   Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until onion is tender, about 5 minutes, and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about a minute, and add the tomatoes, salt to taste, pepper, sugar, cinnamon, paprika and allspice. Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook until the tomatoes are bubbling. Stir together, turn the heat back to medium-low, partly cover and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and the sauce is thick and fragrant, 25 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from the heat. If your sauce is chunky, either put it through a food mill or pulse it in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Set aside.

2. Step

   2

   Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the eggplant in lengthwise slices. Sprinkle slices with salt and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes (this step is optional). Meanwhile, cook the bulgur. Bring 2 cups water with salt to taste to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the bulgur, and when the water comes back to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until all of the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, place a clean dish towel over the pan and cover with the lid. Let the bulgur sit while you roast the eggplant.

3. Step

   3

   Rinse the eggplant slices and pat dry. Line baking sheets with foil and brush the foil with olive oil. Lay the eggplant slices on the foil, brush lightly with oil and place in the hot oven. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until eggplant is beginning to brown, switching the baking sheets halfway through. Remove from the oven and fold the aluminum up over the eggplant slices so that they continue to steam and soften in the foil envelope as they cool completely. They should be thoroughly tender by the time they cool. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Step

   4

   Oil a 3-quart baking dish. Spread a small amount of tomato sauce on the bottom, and spoon in half of the bulgur in an even layer. Cover the bulgur with eggplant slices and spread about half the remaining tomato sauce over the eggplant. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the tomato sauce. Repeat the layers, but don’t sprinkle on another 2 tablespoons of Parmesan. If you have extra eggplant slices, make a top layer of them, on top of the tomato sauce.

5. Step

   5

   Beat together the eggs, yogurt and 2 tablespoons of the remaining Parmesan. Season with salt, pepper and paprika. Spoon over the top in an even layer and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Place in the oven and bake 30 to 40 minutes, until golden. Remove from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes or longer before serving.

Tip

• Advance preparation: All of the elements of this casserole will keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator, as will the assembled casserole, without the egg-yogurt topping. Make the topping right before baking. The casserole can be baked ahead and reheated in a low oven.