oh, the weather outside is frightful...

...but my eggplant-tomato-chickpea casserole is soooo delightful! When it's cold outside, all you want is comfort food, whether it's homemade mac and cheese, a gooey chocolate chip cookie, or your mom's chicken noodle soup; something warm and tasty to make you feel happy!

The problem with some of these comfort foods (OK, so there's never a problem with chocolate chip cookies, but...) is that they're usually pretty heavy and fatty, but super delicious so you just keep eating more. If you're looking for an easy comfort food that's also healthy, give this eggplant tomato chickpea casserole a try.

 

So it's not the most photogenic dish, but trust me, it's super tasty and warms you right up! We got 6" of snow here in NYC - needless to say, I could not leave the office today to get lunch but I had luckily left (or...forgotten) my leftovers from the day before in the office fridge. It was just what I needed to forget about the snow outside.

Eggplant, Tomato and Chickpea Casserole

by Martha Rose Shulman

Ingredients:
1 large eggplant or 2 medium (1 pound), peeled if desired, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced about 1/2 inch thick
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, sliced thin across the grain - I used a yellow onion
2 to 4 garlic cloves (to taste), minced
1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes - I used a 15 oz can of no-salt-added diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Pinch of sugar
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 sprig basil - I did not use this
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and brush the foil with olive oil. Place the eggplant slices on the foil, sprinkle with salt and brush each slice lightly with oil. Place in the oven for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the heat, and carefully fold the foil in half over the eggplant. Crimp the edges together, so that the eggplant is sealed inside the foil and will continue to steam and soften. Leave for at least 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about five minutes, and add the garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about a minute. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, cinnamon, basil and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer, and simmer uncovered, stirring often, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce is thick and fragrant. Add freshly ground pepper, then taste and adjust salt. Remove the basil sprig, and stir in the drained chickpeas.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish or gratin. Cover the bottom with thin layer of tomato sauce, and make a layer of half the eggplant. Spoon half the remaining sauce over the eggplant, and repeat the layers.
4. Bake 30 minutes, until bubbling. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle on the parsley before serving.

Enjoy!

xx
Miel