Quinoa Cakes with Eggplant-Tomato Ragù and Smoked Mozzarella

Ingredients

• •1½ cups water
• •1 cup quinoa
• •1 large egg
• •4½ tablespoons olive oil
• •1½ pounds eggplant
• •1 small onion
• •2 teaspoons garlic
• •½ teaspoon dried oregano
• •3 tablespoons olive oil
• •1 cup grape tomatoes
• •½ cup roasted red peppers
• •¾ cup water
• •1 tablespoon parsley
• •¼ pound smoked mozzarella
• •1 cup diced mozzarella

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   Bring water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan.

   5 min

2. 2.

   Meanwhile, wash quinoa in 3 changes of water in a bowl, then drain well in a fine-mesh sieve.

   5 min

3. 3.

   Stir quinoa into boiling water and return to a boil, then simmer, covered, until quinoa is dry and water is absorbed, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes, then stir in egg.

   35 min

4. 4.

   Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap and lightly brush with oil. Lightly oil a 1-cup dry-ingredient measure. Pack enough quinoa into measure with a rubber spatula to fill it two-thirds full. (If spatula becomes sticky, dip in water.) Unmold onto baking sheet and gently pat quinoa into a 4-inch-wide patty with spatula. Make 3 more quinoa cakes, brushing measure with oil each time. Chill cakes, uncovered, at least 15 minutes.

   20 min

5. 5.

   Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt in a colander and drain 30 minutes. Squeeze handfuls of eggplant to extract liquid, then pat dry.

   30 min

6. 6.

   Cook eggplant, onion, garlic, oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, roasted peppers, and water and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is very tender and mixture is thick (if dry, thin with a little water), about 10 minutes.

   15 min

7. 7.

   Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Carefully add quinoa cakes and cook, turning once carefully and adding remaining 2 to 3 tablespoons oil, until crisp and golden, 8 to 10 minutes total (pat cakes to reshape with cleaned rubber spatula while cooking if necessary). Transfer to plates.

   10 min

8. 8.

   Return eggplant ragù to a simmer and stir in parsley and half of mozzarella, then simmer, stirring, until cheese just begins to soften, about 30 seconds. Spoon over quinoa cakes, then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.

   2 min