Unlike many of the vegetarian cookbooks I find myself gravitating toward, The Southern Vegetarian is not about keeping vegetables raw or barely processed and making them the only thing on the plate – i.e., you’re not going to find a lot of veggie and whole grain salads or gluten-free vegan raw breakfast bowls. Much more frequently, you’ll find that vegetables have simply infiltrated a dish where you would be expecting meat, and all the other rich flavors are still in play. In some cases, this means using tofu, seitan, and other meat substitutes as a replacement for the main component of a classic dish, like using seitan in a Vegetarian “Chicken” Pot Pie. Since I’m not a vegetarian, but simply enjoy cooking with vegetables, this is not my favorite type of recipe – if I want chicken pot pie, I’m just going to have chicken pot pie. However, other times, the way they accomplish meat replacement is genius, like using sausage spices to give eggplant that same smoky flavor, or using liquid smoke, hot sauce, and Worcestershire to make a convincing vegetarian gumbo.

Book Club: The Southern Vegetarian // Crispy Eggplant Sandwiches with Roasted Garlic Ricotta Spread

Book Club: The Southern Vegetarian // Crispy Eggplant Sandwiches with Roasted Garlic Ricotta Spread

Book Club: The Southern Vegetarian // Crispy Eggplant Sandwiches with Roasted Garlic Ricotta Spread

Book Club: The Southern Vegetarian // Crispy Eggplant Sandwiches with Roasted Garlic Ricotta Spread

Crispy Eggplant Sandwiches with Roasted Garlic Ricotta Spread

Serves 4-5.

  • 3 c. torn pieces of fresh French bread
  • 1 TBS Italian seasoning mix (or 1 tsp dried parsley + 1 tsp dried oregano + 1/2 tsp garlic powder + 1/2 tsp salt)
  • 1 medium globe eggplant
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/2 c. flour
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • olive oil
  • 4-5 ciabatta rolls
  • 1 c. arugula
  • 1 c. warm tomato sauce (homemade or store bought)
  • 1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 c. roasted garlic and ricotta spread (see below)
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place French bread pieces and Italian seasoning in a food processor and pulse until the bread has broken down into fine crumbs. Pour onto a dinner plate and set aside.
  2. Wash the eggplant and remove the stem ends. Slice into 1/2 inch thick slices. Sprinkle each slice with salt and pepper.
  3. Set up two bowls next to the breadcrumb plate – one with the flour and one with the beaten eggs. Dredge each eggplant slice in the flour, tapping off the excess, then dip in the eggs, then coat with breadcrumbs. Place on a baking tray. Drizzle with a small amount of oil (about 1/8 of a teaspoon per slice).
  4. Bake eggplant for 15 minutes, then flip each slice over and drizzle the opposite side with olive oil. Bake for another 15 minutes then remove from the oven. Coating should be golden brown and crispy.
  5. To assemble the sandwiches, place a handful of arugula leaves on top of the bottom bun, then cover with 2-3 slices of eggplant. Drizzle a spoonful of the warm tomato sauce on top of the eggplant and sprinkle 2 TBS of parmesan cheese on top. Spread the garlic and ricotta mixture on the top bun, then close the sandwich and serve.

Book Club: The Southern Vegetarian // Crispy Eggplant Sandwiches with Roasted Garlic Ricotta Spread

Roasted Garlic Ricotta Spread

Recipe adapted slightly from The Southern Vegetarian. Makes about 1 cup.

  • 5 cloves of garlic, skin left on
  • 1 c. whole milk ricotta, homemade (see below) or store bought
  • 1/4 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
  1. Place the garlic cloves with their skin on in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast, flipping occasionally, until skins have started to blacken and garlic is fragrant, about 10-15 minutes. Let them cool, then remove the skins – the inside of the clove should be soft and roasted.
  2. In a small bowl, mash the roasted garlic cloves with a fork, then mix with the ricotta and the parmesan. Taste for seasoning and serve.

Easy Homemade Ricotta

Adapted from Anne Burrell via The Food Network. Makes about 1 cup.

  • 2 c. skim milk
  • 1 c. heavy cream
  • 1 TBS distilled white vinegar
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  1. Mix the milk, heavy cream, vinegar, and salt together in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring infrequently just to ensure that nothing is sticking to the bottom or sides of the pot. Once the milk has reached a simmer, simmer for 1-2 minutes – curds will form continuously as you simmer the milk.
  2. Place a sieve or strainer lined with damp cheesecloth over a large bowl. Pour the curds and whey into the strainer, and let drain for 15 minutes. After it has drained and cooled to a point where it is comfortable to touch, gently squeeze out any remaining whey from the ricotta. Unmold from the cheesecloth and serve, or store in the fridge.

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