Great Ideas

Entertaining, Food, Travel and Home

Onion, Tomato & Eggplant Tian

The Food Network star shares a dish that ‘celebrates the flavors of the Mediterranean’

1 small eggplant, sliced in ¼-in.-thick rounds

¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided

2 tbsp. olive oil, divided

2 small onions, cut into ¼-in.-thick rounds

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 small plum tomatoes, sliced in ¼-in.-thick rounds

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle eggplant slices with ¼ tsp. salt; cook in 1 tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown, turning after 3 minutes. Transfer eggplant to a plate; set aside.

2. Sprinkle onions with ¼ tsp. salt. Cook in 2 tsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 4 to 5 minutes, just until starting to brown, turning after 2 minutes. Transfer onions to a plate; set aside.

3. Rub garlic clove over interior of a 9½-in. deep-dish pie plate. Arrange eggplant, onion and tomatoes alternately to form 2 concentric circles. Sprinkle with remaining salt; drizzle with the remaining olive oil.

4. Bake, covered, at 375˚about 20 minutes, or until heated through and tomatoes are soft but still hold their shape. Remove baking dish from oven; uncover. Turn broiler to High.

5. Sprinkle with cheese. Broil 2 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves: 4

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

d’Arabian’s new cookbook Supermarket Healthy, out Dec. 30, is available for preorder on Amazon.com

Prosciutto & Arugula Farfalle

The executive chef of N.Y.C.’s Gotham Bar and Grill creates a quick and easy summer pasta

1 lb. Italian bow-tie pasta (farfalle)

¼ lb. unsalted butter, room temperature

1½ cups loosely packed baby arugula

1½ cups cooked peas or fava beans

4 oz. prosciutto, torn into bite-size pieces

¾ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus additional for serving

4 ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced

3 tbsp. chives, finely minced

3 tbsp. basil leaves, finely chopped

Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente (about 8 minutes). Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta water.

2. Transfer pasta to a warmed serving bowl. Immediately add the butter, arugula, peas (or fava beans), prosciutto, cheese and tomatoes. Tossing constantly, gradually add 2 to 3 tbsp. of the reserved pasta water. Continue adding water until sauce turns rich and creamy. Add the chives and basil, and toss again. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

My 5 Kitchen Essentials

The Top Chef host shares the cooking and entertaining items you’ll find in her home

DINNER PLATES

“I love these bold accent plates. They add instant glamour to any weeknight meal or dinner party.” Berry & Plum Plate, $34 for 4; gilt .com/padma

PIZZA WHEEL

“This blows the traditional cutter away. Your hand bears down on the blade, not a handle, so slicing is easier.” $12; zyliss.com

COOKBOOK STAND

“It’s hard to hold a cookbook or iPad when your fingers are messy, so this mini-easel is helpful.” $30; westelm.com

BACON PRESS

“I don’t know how I ever made bacon without this handy weight. BLTs are a cinch.” $15; williams-sonoma.com

MORTAR & PESTLE

“I use this to grind spices, smash up peppercorns and even make guacamole.” Lava Rock Molcajete, $60; macys.com

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