Poor Man’s Eggplant Recipe (Berenjenas a lo Pobre)
This is a unique and straightforward side dish, as its name suggests: "Berenjenas a lo Pobre" (Poor Man’s Eggplant). The recipe involves simply boiling the eggplants and then toasting them in the oven with a little garlic, parsley, and extra virgin olive oil—nothing more. Yet the result is extraordinary.
Equipment
1 Baking Dish
1 Blender
Ingredients
- 2 medium light purple-skinned eggplants
- 1 ripe tomato
- 3 garlic cloves
- A handful or bunch of fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons cold-pressed olive oil
- 2 cups 200g homemade breadcrumbs
- Salt to taste
Watch me Make it (Video)
Instructions
- Wash the eggplants, trim the ends, and peel two sides only (refer to the video for a visual guide). Leaving a small amout of colour gives the slices a nice purple color.Slice them into 4-5 thick slices, each about 1 cm thick.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the eggplant slices. Sprinkle with salt and cook over medium-high heat for about 25 minutes, until softened.
- While the eggplants are boiling, finely chop the tomatoes, garlic (3 cloves), and fresh parsley. Set aside.
- Once boiled, drain the eggplants and leave them to fully drain for 1-2 hours (you can do this step the day before if needed).
- Blend up leftover bread ends (I used a mix of seeded and village bread). Aim for about 2 cups (roughly 200g). Set the breadcrumbs aside.
- If the eggplants are still a little wet, place them on a chopping board or parchment paper and gently pat them dry with paper towels.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (about 400°F). Grease a large baking dish with olive oil and sprinkle breadcrumbs to coat the bottom of the dish.
- Arrange the eggplant slices vertically in the baking dish, slightly overlapping. Top with the remaining breadcrumbs, add the chopped tomatoes, garlic, salt, and parsley.
- Drizzle everything with olive oil.
- Roast in the oven at 200°C for 25 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and crispy.
- Serve immediately as a light lunch or a festive side dish. Enjoy!
Notes & Suggestions
Top Tip:
Don't throw away leftover bread! With a high-speed blender, you can turn it into breadcrumbs. Use it right away or let it cool completely before storing it in an airtight container. For gluten-free breadcrumbs, use gluten-free bread.
Prep Tips To Save Time:
Make Breadcrumbs in Advance: Toast or blend up the breadcrumbs beforehand to have them ready to go. Can be done several days before. Chop in Batches: Dice parsley, garlic, and tomatoes together to streamline your prep. Prepare and pre-boil ahead: Prepare and boil the eggplants the night before. They also will be completely drained meaning less wait time.
Some of the tools in this recipe are linked to affiliate products
Nutrition Profile
Nutrition
Poor Man’s Eggplant Recipe (Berenjenas a lo Pobre)
Serving Size
1 serving
Amount per Serving
Calories
266
% Daily Value*
Saturated Fat
2.5
g
16
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
19
g
Cholesterol
0.2
mg
0
%
Sodium
112
mg
5
%
Carbohydrates
28.8
g
10
%
Fiber
3.16
g
13
%
Sugar
2.4
g
3
%
Protein
2.7
g
5
%
Vitamin A
313
IU
6
%
Vitamin C
25.1
mg
30
%
Calcium
57
mg
6
%
Iron
1.6
mg
9
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated automatically per serving. Values may vary depending on ingredients used and serving size. Adjust calculations accordingly if changes are made.
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