Sicilian Stuffed Eggplant
And, Jo Piazza's new novel The Sicilian Inheritance
Working as a wet-behind-the-ears fashion/lifestyle PR assistant in the early aughts, we were encouraged to “make nice” with the media. Blind items, “scoops” and “we’ve heard” mentions were king for keeping celebrities, models, restaurateurs and hoteliers sexy, relevant, and out of trouble. The work was interesting…?
My boss at the time noticed a new byline in the Daily News’ “Rush and Molloy” gossip column and thrust the paper at me “Call this Jo Piazza and introduce yourself. Make friends - she’s new like you are.” Terrified, I picked up the phone. I don't remember what I stuttered at her, all I knew was that the human on the end of the line was bubbly and lovely and we did indeed become friends. I don’t actually believe I ever “placed an item” with Jo, I was never very good at that, but we have managed to maintain a friendship for over twenty years. So I consider it a win.
Over the last two decades, I’ve watched
in awe as she has gone from gossip writer, to travel journalist, podcast host and producer, mom of three, and celebrated and award-winning novelist. This past Tuesday, she released her most personal piece of fiction to date The Sicilian Inheritance.“This riveting dual-timeline novel follows Sara Marsala, a newly single chef and restaurateur, as she travels to her ancestor’s village in Sicily to claim a potential inheritance. When she arrives, she is shocked to learn that her great-grandmother may have been murdered there a century before. It soon becomes clear that she could be in danger too. Flashing back to the early 1900s, readers meet Sara’s namesake, a feisty and headstrong Serafina who is thrust into motherhood in her teens and fights for a better life for all the women of her small village. But not everyone is pleased by her ambitions...”
The book is fun, sexy, thrilling and yes there is also a lot of amazing Sicilian food in there too. Jo being Jo, not only wrote a novel, but also wrote some recipes to accompany it. Oh, and she also started a crime podcast of the same name. It’s a must listen!
To celebrate Jo, friendship, our world’s colliding (fiction and food!) and her very good new book, today's newsletter features one of her signature dishes: Sicilian Stuffed Eggplant. I’ll let her take it from here…
Oh, and don’t forget to buy the book!
Sicilian Stuffed Eggplant
“I am going to make a bold statement. Sicilian food is Italian, but Italian food is not Sicilian. It is a different breed, especially the pastas. You are never gonna see a heavy red sauce or a meatball and god forbid you put Parmesan on something before tasting it first (it’s already in most of the sauces). The chef will be sorely offended and the last thing you want to do is offend a Sicilian.” — Jo Piazza
Time 45 minutes
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
2 medium-sized eggplants
4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
½ cup finely chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
½ cup golden raisins, roughly chopped
½ cup, plus 2 tablespoons, panko breadcrumbs
Kosher salt
¼ cup almonds, roughly chopped
¼ cup green olives, roughly chopped
¼ cup ricotta
Juice of 1 lemon
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Slice the eggplants lengthwise. Use a small sharp knife, cut about a half inch in around the sides of the eggplant. Scoop out the flesh and set the shells aside.
Chop the eggplant flesh into 1-inch pieces. Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and when it shimmers, add the eggplant, onion and the garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 to 6 minutes or until the eggplant has a little give to it.
Add the raisins and ½ cup of the breadcrumbs and cook for 1 to 2 minutes and stir until well combined. Season very well with salt and remove from heat.
Spoon the mixture into the eggplant shells and fill to just above the rim of the shell and top with remaining breadcrumbs. Lightly drizzle with olive oil on the top.
Place eggplants into a relatively deep baking dish with a small amount of water on the bottom (about a centimeter). Cover with foil and bake for thirty minutes.
Remove foil and add the almonds and olives. Bake for another ten minutes to get the panko nice and golden on top.
Meanwhile, combine the ricotta and the lemon juice and season with salt. Remove the eggplants from the oven, plate and add dollops of ricotta to the top while they are still warm.
Grazie mille for reading and have a good rest of your week. It’s snowing here!
Oh, and this brilliant ad campaign for Loewe still has me cackling. I’ve watched it 100 plus times.
With love,
Colu
Seems like now that we’re planning a trip to Sicily, everyone is writing about it. So enjoyed this! Will pick up that novel—and try the eggplant dish. Looks delish!🍆Thank you, Colu!
Yum and also true crime pods FTW. Can’t wait to listen. ❤️