Eggplant & Italian Sausage Napoleons

 

Fifteen years ago or so, my wife and I were having dinner at an Italian restaurant on Hilton Head.  I had a delightful appetizer that led me to create this recipe.  The restaurant, the name of which I no longer remember, is long gone, as is my memory of what they called the dish that inspired the recipe.  At any rate, I went home that evening thinking “I know I can make something that recreates the essence of that dish. “  So the next day, I gathered up the ingredients and went to work trying to create something that very closely resembled what I had had the night before.  I think the result is very tasty and can be used in a smaller portion as an appetizer or in a generous portion as an entrée. 

The original Napoleon is a classic French pastry layered with custard.  The French name, mille-feuilles, literally means thousand leaves, for its delicate multiple layers.  Over the years, the term napoleon has come to be used for most any dish which is stacked into layers.  In the case of this recipe, the stacks are eggplant and Italian sausage, therefore the name Eggplant & Italian Sausage Napoleons.

Ingredients: (Serves Four)

½ Onion- finely chopped

2 Small Cloves Garlic – crushed in a garlic press

1 – 28 Oz. Can Crushed Tomatoes

Italian Seasoning

Salt and Pepper

2 TBSP Cream

1 Lb. Sweet Italian Sausage Links (About 4 sausages)

2 Eggplant – peeled and sliced into 3/8 “ slices

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Balsamic Glaze – Can be purchased or made by reducing balsamic vinegar

Fresh Basil Leaves for Garnish

Preparation:

Sauce:

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, add olive oil and sauté the chopped onion until translucent.  Add the crushed garlic and continue to sauté, until the garlic releases its bouquet and is soft.  Use care not to burn the garlic.  Add the crushed tomatoes and a little Italian Seasoning.  Simmer over low heat for at least thirty minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Just before using the sauce, stir in the cream, using enough to change the color of the sauce from red to pink.  The cream cuts the acidic taste of the tomato sauce and makes for a very smooth blend with the eggplant and sausage. 

Sausage:

While the sauce is simmering cook the Italian sausage.  I do them on the grill or on a grill pan over the flame of a gas cooktop.  Once cooked, slice each sausage lengthways into thin slices.  I usually discard the two outside slices and end up with three slices out of the “filet” of each sausage. Then cut each slice into two pieces so that each slice is about the length of the diameter of your eggplant slices.  You will need about four to six of these short slices for each napoleon. You can hold the sliced Italian sausage in a 200 degree oven while you grill the eggplant.

   

Eggplant and sausage cooking

Sliced Sausage

 

Eggplant:

Brush each slice of eggplant with olive oil.  Season each slice with salt and pepper and either grill the eggplant or use a grill pan on your cooktop.  You want the grill marks on the eggplant.  Grill the eggplant until it is soft and shiny looking, but not until it begins to fall apart.  You will want three to four slices of eggplant for each napoleon. 
 

Assembly:

In a flat bowl, put in the first layer of grilled eggplant, top it with two pieces of sliced sausage, add another layer of eggplant and top again with sausage, add another layer of eggplant. For an appetizer sized portion this will be enough eggplant and sausage.  For an entrée you may want to add another layer.  Your top should always be a slice of eggplant. You can hold the stacks in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve.  When ready to serve ladle a good sized portion of sauce over the stacked eggplant and sausage.  Drizzle the top of the Napoleon with about a teaspoon of Balsamic Glaze and top with a couple of fresh basil leaves as garnish.

Stacks assembled
 

 

                   Serve with Crusty bread and nice Chianti.  Ciao !!