Eggplant Napoleon

A Napoleon, or Mille-feuille, is a French concoction made up of layers of flaky pastry filled with pastry cream or whipped cream. So what if you did the obvious (not!) and replaced the pastry with eggplant, and the cream with cheese and tomatoes? You’d get a somewhat controversial yet delicious Italian dish that works well as either an appetizer or main course. Here’s my take on this tasty dish!

My version of eggplant napoleon - Photo by Laurie Geis

Napoleon Bonaparte, the famous French military leader and emperor, had an affinity for luxury and opulence. The French pastry, Mille-feuille, is known as a Napoleon in the United States due to its rich and decadent nature. Somewhere along the way, someone came up with the idea to layer slices of roasted eggplant with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and fresh herbs along with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar on top and call it Eggplant Napoleon.

Rumor has it that this naming convention was a bit controversial, with some self-proclaimed foodies arguing that it ventures so far from the original that it shouldn’t include the “Napoleon” moniker in its description. In fact, a renowned French pastry chef once said that “The Eggplant Napoleon is a travesty to the classic Napoleon dessert. It’s a mere impostor that tarnishes the rich culinary heritage of French pastries.” (Source: Christophe Garon blog post dated August 5, 2023). Kind of over-the-top, but OK, …!

The first time I encountered the Eggplant Napoleon was earlier this year when Laurie ordered it at one of our favorite Italian restaurants, Speaks Clam Bar in St. Armand’s Circle. Their version of this classic dish included fried instead of roasted eggplant, along with a nice homemade marinara sauce that served as the base for the dish. It was absolutely delicious, and I set out to create my own version at home.

A lot of folks don’t like eggplant because when overcooked, it can easily turn mushy and slimy. It can also be bland without proper seasoning. But when cooked properly, it’s tender and tasty, and serves as a great vegetarian alternative to more traditional dishes made with pork or other protein (think teriyaki pork stir fry or cheesy sausage lasagna). So, I decided to follow Speaks’ lead and do a quick pan fry of my eggplant rounds which I seasoned liberally and then coated in fine bread crumbs for a nice crunchy texture. I fried them on higher heat so they would quickly brown without overcooking the eggplant.

I also decided to make my own quick-and-easy marinara sauce instead of using a jarred version – it takes less than 30 minutes, and the result is always better than even the best jarred sauce!

Lastly, I made sure to use the freshest and finest ingredients possible, since this dish is pretty simple which allows each of the components to shine on their own. That means carefully picking your eggplant by making sure it’s medium in size, firm, and heavy; choosing a high-quality fresh mozzarella (I usually opt for those packed in water – they are fresher and don’t have all the preservatives of the cheaper ones you find in the stores); and seeking out firm, just ripe heirloom or vine-ripened tomatoes. Finally, I use a high-quality aged balsamic vinegar from Modena, Italy which is thick like a syrup and is sweet and rich instead of thin and vinegary in flavor like the cheaper balsamic vinegars.

The result is a light but still slightly decedent and absolutely delicious vegetarian dish that you can make to wow your friends and family at your next dinner party!

Eggplant Napoleon (Serves 4 as an appetizer or 2 as a main course)

This visual stunning dish is a great vegetarian option when you are in the mood for lighter Italian fare. It can be served as an appetizer or a main course. Make sure to seek out the best and freshest ingredients here – it really makes a difference. If you don’t want to make your own marinara sauce, you can use a jarred sauce (I’d recommend Rao’s). Serve with a tossed green salad with Italian dressing and a nice Chianti Classico (like Antinori).

Ingredients

1 recipe homemade marinara sauce (see below)

2 large heirloom or vine-ripened tomatoes, sliced into eight 1/4-inch thick slices

8 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced into eight 1/8-inch thick slices

4 fresh basil leaves

1 ½ lb. eggplant, sliced into 12 ¼-inch thick slices

1 cup fine bread crumbs

2 eggs, whisked

½ cup vegetable oil, divided

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Aged balsamic vinegar for drizzling

Directions

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees and move the oven rack to the middle position. Place a rack in a large rimmed baking sheet and set aside.

Whisk the eggs in a shallow medium bowl and place the breadcrumbs in a separate shallow pan or bowl. Place the eggplant rounds on a sheet of parchment paper, and liberally salt and pepper the rounds on each side with the remaining 1 tbsp. of kosher salt and pepper. Dredge the eggplant rounds in the whisked eggs, let excess egg drip off, and then coat with the breadcrumbs, pressing to make sure the breadcrumbs adhere to the eggplant. Place the breaded eggplant rounds back on the parchment paper.

Heat ¼ cup vegetable oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place four breaded eggplant rounds in the pan and cook for 1 ½ to 2 minutes per side, until nicely browned. Remove rounds from the skillet and place on the rack in the rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining eggplant rounds, adding oil as needed.

To assemble the eggplant stacks, start with four eggplant rounds on the rack. Place a tomato slice on each, followed by a mozzarella slice. Repeat again with a slice of eggplant, tomato, and mozzarella. Top each with a third eggplant round. Carefully transfer the baking sheet with the assembled eggplant stacks to the oven and heat for 2-3 minutes until mozzarella starts to soften.

Remove from the oven. Spoon the marinara sauce on a serving platter and top with the eggplant stacks. Top each eggplant stack with a slice of fresh basil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Serve warm.

Homemade Marinara Sauce (Makes about 2 cups)

This quick-and-easy marinara sauce can be made in less than 30 minutes and tastes better than anything you can find in the grocery store! It also freezes well, so make a double batch and freeze for a “ready from the freezer” sauce on demand!

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

15-oz. can pureed tomatoes

¼ tsp. kosher salt, divided

¼ tsp. sugar

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper

2 tsp. tomato paste

¼ cup dry red wine

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the garlic to the pan and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, salt, sugar, pepper, red pepper flakes, tomato paste, and wine to the pan and stir to fully blend. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.