Crispy Pan-Fried Eggplant and Zucchini with Pine Nuts and Bacon · PrimedTable
German🥬 Vegetables
Crispy Pan-Fried Eggplant and Zucchini with Pine Nuts and Bacon
🍽 Serves 2
Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. Golden-brown pan-fried vegetables topped with salty bacon, roasted pine nuts, and fresh lemon zest and juice for a simple yet flavorful dish.
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Adapted from a video by Hensslers Schnelle Nummer
Knusprig gebratene Aubergine und Zucchini mit Pinienkernen und Speck
▶ Tap a timecode to jump to roughly that moment in the video.
1
Cut the bacon into small pieces and place in a pan with the pine nuts. Toast over medium heat until the bacon is rendered and the pine nuts are fragrant.
2
Trim the zucchini, halve it lengthwise, quarter it, and remove the watery center. Cut the remaining flesh into rectangular pieces.
3
Prepare the eggplant using the same method: halve, quarter, and remove the watery center generously. Adjust piece size as needed for more even cooking.
4
Add a splash of oil and butter to the pan with the bacon and pine nuts, letting the butter's moisture dissolve and develop deeper flavors, then reduce heat.
5
Season the eggplant and zucchini separately in different bowls with generous amounts of salt and pepper, since eggplant requires longer cooking time than zucchini.
6
Set up flour in a shallow bowl and paper towels. Heat plenty of oil in the pan until it is quite hot, similar to breading and frying a cutlet.
7
Dredge eggplant pieces in flour, gently shake off excess flour (some clumps are fine), and fry in hot oil. Cook each piece flesh-side down first, then skin-side, until both sides are deep golden brown and crispy.
8
Continue frying eggplant pieces on all sides until they develop a golden crust and are tender inside. Maintain medium-high heat and drain on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
9
Change to fresh oil and fry the zucchini pieces using the same method: cook flesh-side down first, then skin-side, until golden on both sides. Zucchini will cook faster than eggplant.
10
Drain the cooked zucchini on paper towels. Both vegetables will stay warm while you prepare for plating.
11
Arrange the fried eggplant and zucchini pieces generously on a large plate, keeping each piece separate and not overlapping.
12
Scatter chopped fresh parsley over the vegetables, then generously zest the lemon over the top to bring citrus aroma.
13
Squeeze the lemon using a citrus press to extract plenty of juice and drizzle generously over the vegetables.
14
Drizzle with olive oil, then top with the warm pine nut and bacon mixture, and finish with fresh parsley.
15
Finish with a pinch of salt to taste, then grate Parmesan cheese over the top. Enjoy this dish combining roasted flavors, creamy vegetables, bright lemon acidity, and savory bacon.
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