Just when you though eggplant was reserved for savory dishes, along comes Sweet Eggplant & Pistachio Quick Bread! Who knew?! If you like carrot cake or zucchini bread, you'll love this treat.
What kind of eggplant should I use?
There are a few different varieties of eggplant: Italian, Japanese, Chines, Thai, even white eggplant! I grew globe eggplant in my garden so that's what I used. The variety doesn't really matter in this recipe.
Start by poking a few holes in it with a fork or knife ... or a toothpick! The point is to make a few holes to allow the steam and juice to escape so that it doesn't pop open, potentially spitting hot juice on you.
Roasting, grilling, or broiling ...
My favorite was to cook the eggplant for this recipe is to put it on the grill. It gets charred and a little smoky flavored and all the mess is outside. Alternatively, you can put it on a parchment-lined sheet pan under the broiler in the oven, or directly on the flame of a gas grill. That last method can make quite a mess so of course, I prefer the grill!
After it is cooked, let it cool and bit, then scrape out the flesh and let it drain in a colander for a bit.
Pistachios are the texture!
I think eggplant and pistachios go so well together and they are delicious in this bread. Of course, you can shell them yourself or buy them pre-shelled. Just give them a rough chop before adding them to the bread batter.
This is a one bowl mix ...
First mix the eggplant with the oil, eggs, and vanilla.
Then add the dry ingredients. Notice that there is both white sugar and brown ... that adds to the depth of flavor so nicely.
Finally mix in the pistachios, stirring just enough to combine.
Put it in a parchment lined bread pan, and butter the ends so that it doesn't stick.
Bake it for about an hour or so. Test it with a toothpick or cake tester after an hour. If there is still wet batter, leave it another 10 minutes, testing again at that point. The time it takes to bake is dependent on how wet the eggplant was.
Make the icing
You can mix the icing in a small bowl. Let the butter soften, then mix it with powdered sugar and maple syrup. If it is too thin, mix in a little more powdered sugar. If it is too thick, mix in a bit of water or milk.
Spread it on the cooled bread evenly, then sprinkle chopped pistachios and flaky salt on top.
How to serve Sweet Eggplant & Pistachio Quick Bread
I love this bread with a cup of hot tea or coffee or a tall glass of cold milk. It's a great afternoon snack as well as a treat at breakfast or even a dessert!
Recipe
Sweet Eggplant & Pistachio Quick Bread
Ingredients
FOR THE BREAD
- 1 large eggplant about 1½ pounds
- ½ cup neutral oil I use avocado oil.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pistachios shelled, roughly chopped
FOR THE FROSTING AND PISTACHIO TOPPING
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons butter at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon water
- ¼ cup pistachios chopped
- ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt
Instructions
FOR THE BREAD
- Prepare the loaf pan by lining the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Butter the ends of the pan to keep the loaf from sticking.
- Preheat your grill to high heat or the broiler on your oven. Pierce the eggplant a few times with a fork or knife. Place the eggplant on the grill or under the broiler. If using the grill, put the cover down. Cook the eggplant for 25-30 minutes, turning every 8-10 minutes, until completely charred on all sides and the flesh is soft when pressed. Transfer it to a platter and cool for about 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 325℉.
- When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh of the eggplant out into a large bowl. Add the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract to the bowl and mix thoroughly with the eggplant.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the eggplant mixture and mix until combined. Add the pistachios and stir together.
- Transfer the batter to a prepared loaf pan (8½-inch-by-4½-inch). Bake in a preheated oven at 325℉ for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs sticking to it.
- Let the bread cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Flip the pan over to remove the bread and let cool completely on a wire rack for 40 to 50 minutes.
FOR THE FROSTING AND PISTACHIO TOPPING
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, butter, maple syrup, and water until smooth and thick. If the frosting is too thin, add a bit more sugar. Spread the frosting on top of the bread, then sprinkle with the pistachios and the flaky sea salt.
Comments
No Comments