So…I took pictures today, but I never noticed that there was no card in my camera. Darn! Lydia spent the whole day playing with Kristin’s girls, and there were some sweet moments. Selah loves to read to Lydia, and Lydia LOVES having Selah read to Lydia. I am so upset I don’t have the pictures I took of this darling activity.
I wish I had some funny things to say or super exciting things to report, but I spent most of the day cooking food for a dinner party with our friends: Dan and Preethi (with kids, Nat and Kina), Morgan and Jesse (with son, Daniel), and Kristin (with kids, Selah, Liesl, and Ana-Lena). We put the ALL the kids to bed before the party, and they were great sleepers.
I made some phyllo tarts that I don’t have pictures of, a beet/arugula/goat cheese salad and this chocolate-hazelnut mousse cake:
We had SO much fun visiting with our friends that it is now past midnight, so all I have left in me is to post this recipe (for Preethi, with love!).
Here it is, in all its straight-from-Gourmet glory (I quadrupled everything for the party):
Chickpea, Eggplant, and Tomato Phyllo Tarts (serves 4)
1 (1 lb) eggplant
Salt
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 med onion, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 Turkish bay leaf or 1/2 California bay leaf
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14-15 oz) can stewed tomatoes, drained, juice reserved, and coarsely chopped
1/2 t. sweet paprika
1/8 t. ground cumin
1 (15-to-19 oz) can chickpease, rinsed and drained
1 tsp sugar
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 c. coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 (17-by-12-inch) phyllo sheets, thawed if frozen
Garnish: fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, torn in pieces
Make the filling: Peel eggplant and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Toss with 1 tsp salt in a large bowl and let stand for 15 minutes. Transfer eggplant to a colander, rinse under cold water, and squeeze out excess water.
Heat 2 Tbsp. oil i a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add onion with bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 mintues. Add 1 Tbsp oil, then add eggplant and garlic and cook, stirring, until eggplant is tender, 8-10 minutes.
Add tomatoes (reserve juice), paprika, and cumin and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add reserved tomato juice, chickpeas, sugar, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until filling is thickened and most of liquid as evaporated about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley; discard bay leaf.
Make the tarts: Put rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 425. Line a large baking sheet with foil.
Unroll phyllo and cover stack with plastic wrap and a dampened kitchen towel. Keeping remaining phyllo covered, lightly brush 1 phyllo sheet with some of remaining oil. Top with 2 more sheets, brushing each with oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. pepper, then cut stack crosswise in half with a sharp knife. Spoon 1 c. filling into center of each stack. Crumple edges of phyllo up and around filling, leaving filling exposed. Transfer to lined baking sheet using a spatula. Make 2 more tarts in same manner, arranging about 1/2 in apart on baking sheet.
Bake, rotating baking sheet after 10 minutes, until edges of tarts are golden, 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
The filling can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated, covered.
The tarts can be baked up to 6 hours ahead and kept, uncovered, at room temperature. Reheat in a 350 oven for 15-20 minutes.