Not all eggplant fruit is shaped like an egg.  The traditional
blackish-purple "Black Beauty"(74 days), pictured, is over 100 years
old and has become the industry standard for black eggplant because it
ripened earlier than others with 6-8" perfect fruits.  Harvested fresh
makes all the difference in the world to eggplant taste.  You might
also like the bright deep purple color of "Rosa Bianca" (74 days). It
has 4-6" oval white fruits that are heavily streaked with rosy purple,
and looks like it has a distressed paint job of rosy purple on white.
The sepals are larger, purple and more attached, making it a very regal
looking vegetable.  It is very fat and slightly sweet tasting. An old
Italian variety and heavy yielder.

Flavor is better in the more
mature fruit.  Eggplant can be breaded and seasoned with garlic powder
and Italian seasoning, and fried like chicken.

You can also fix
"Eggplant Parmesiani" in which the eggplant replaces the meat, and is
very delicious.  Perfect for your "meatless" meal night.

I have used Eggplant in a vegetable turrine, where it adds not only flavor but color to the sliced turrine.

Epplant
has a heavy, lingering taste, which allows it to mix well with other
ingredients without getting lost.  It mixes well with pasta sauce,
spicy sausages, herbs and flavorings.  The best wines to serve with it
are deep reds that are not too heavy, maybe very mildly sweet to
balance the flavors, clear and crisp and not too oaky.

EGGPLANT PIE

You
can make the filling for this dish ahead of time and either refrigerate
up to 2 days, or freeze until you need it.  A great way to treat
mid-winter guests staying for super.

5 T olive oil

1 med onion chopped

1 med eggplant cubed

1 stalk celery chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 t dried thyme leaves

1/4 t crushed red pepper

1 16 oz can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 t sugar

1/2 t salt

2 T chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 T balsamic vinegar

6 phyllo leaves thawed if frozen or strudel

1 T pine nuts (optional)

1.
In large skillet, heat 2 T oil over med heat, add onion and saute until
golden brown, add eggplant, celery, garlic, thyme and red pepper;cover
and simmer 5 minutes, stir occasionally.  Stir in the tomatoes, sugar
and salt and cook covered 10 minutes.  Uncover and cook over low heat,
stirring occasionally until most of the liquid evaporates and
vegetables are tender.  Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon
parsely and the vinegar; set aside. (This is the point at which you
would let it cool and then refrigerate or freeze.)

2. Lightly oil
an 8" round baking pan.  Place thawed phyllo between 2 sheets of waxed
paper, then cover with a damp towel to prevent drying out.  (Pyllo will
dry quickly because it is thin, be sure to keep damp.)

3. Heat
oven to 350 F.  Remove 1 sheet of phyllo and brush evenly with olive
oil, repeat with the other sheets, stacking them off center to make a
large round when finished. 

4. Lift all the sheets together and
press into the oiled round pan, letting the edges extend over the rim
of pan.  Pour filling into the pan, then fold in extending edges to
cover filling.

5. Bake pie 20-25 minutes or until phyllo crust is
lightly browned.  Cool in pan 5 minutes; meanwhile, if desired, toast
pine nuts in oven until lighty browned and fragrant.

6. To serve,
gently invert pie onto plate, and then invert again onto serving plate
so the top side is up.  Garnish with remaining chopped parsely and pine
nuts if desired.