This tortang talong recipe is sponsored by Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs. All opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the companies that keep this blog going.
Take a bite of Filipino cuisine with tortang talong, a tasty dish of smoky tender eggplant and savory browned eggs for a fragrant and satisfying delight!
Eggplant Tortilla: A Filipino Classic
Have you explored Filipino cuisine before? One of my favorite dishes is called tortang talong. It’s an eggplant omelet that is made with whole eggplant that has been grilled to impart a smoky flavor. It gets pan-fried in an egg mixture for an incredible taste. In the Philippines, they eat this omelet for breakfast and lunch, but you can feel free to enjoy this dish any time!
Traditionally, tortang talong also comes with meat stuffed inside, but I wanted to keep things simple and be mindful of various dietary restrictions and preferences, so this recipe is fairly straightforward. This means it will be much easier to prepare, but you’ll still have the chance to indulge in the delicate taste of the eggs.
With the smoky, creamy eggplant and firm fried egg coating, the dish is an easy winner without needing much in the way of seasoning. In that regard, it’s quite a minimalist dish.
Ingredients
Making tortang talong only requires a few very basic ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.
Elevate a Dish by Using the Best Eggs
Whenever eggs are front and center in a recipe of mine, I want to make sure I use the best ones so my family can truly enjoy their flavor. Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs really do make all the difference with their rich and flavorful taste, thanks to the free range hens who lay them. You can see it in the color of the yolk. The eggs are also USDA Certified Organicso there are no GMOs, antibiotics, hormones, pesticides, or anything like that involved, so you can breathe a sigh of relief when you make meals with eggs of this caliber.
How to Cook Eggplant Torta
For Best Results, Use Fire
To make the best tortang talong, your eggplants should be grilled. This will give them a smoky flavor. I used a gas stove grilling method which I’ll show you below, so you can get that smokiness without going to the trouble of firing up the grill. But what if you don’t have a gas stove? Don’t worry…you won’t need to have FOMO. You can use the broiling method that I’ll also show you, so you can cook the eggplant just right.
Cooking process
- Grill the eggplant over a gas stove or broil in the oven
- Peel off the eggplant skin
- Use a fork to flatten the eggplant
- Dip the eggplant in the egg mixture
- Pan fry the eggplant and eggs
- Drizzle a bit more egg mixture to add a fluffier texture
- Carefully flip the eggplant using a pair of tongs and a spatula
- Serve hot with (or without) ketchup
Final Thoughts
Once you’re done making tortang talong, you get to enjoy the tender texture of the eggplant along with a smoky flavor. It goes so well with those top-notch eggs that are fragrant and crispy. You’ll need very little to season it, but if you really want a sauce to go with it, you can use ketchup or hot sauce.
No need to wait for breakfast to enjoy tortang talong. You can have it for lunch, dinner, or even a snack when you’re in the mood for something special!
Eggplant Omelet (Eggplant Cake)
Take a bite of Filipino cuisine with tortang talong, a tasty dish of smoky tender eggplant and savory browned eggs for a fragrant and satisfying delight!
Ingredients
- 2 small Asian eggplants
- 3 large Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or canola oil)
- 1 tablespoon onion minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
Instructions
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Option 1 – Cook the eggplant over a gas burner (Recommended): Cook the eggplants one at a time. Turn the gas stove to medium heat and place the eggplant over the flame using a pair of tongs. Let cook until the bottom side turns light brown, then rotate. Turn to medium-low heat if the eggplant starts to smoke too much. Cook until the eggplant turns tender throughout and most of the surface has turned dark brown, but not completely black.
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Option 2 – Cook the eggplant in the oven: Heat the broiler to 450°F (230°C). Place the eggplants on an aluminum foil lined baking tray. Broil for 8 to 10 minutes, rotating once or twice, until the skin turns dark brown and the eggplant is softened throughout.
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Once done cooking, place the eggplants onto a big plate and let cool for a few minutes until you can handle them by hand. Peel the skin by pulling it away in strips or scraping it off with a spoon (Do not remove the stem).
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Place the peeled eggplant on a cutting board. Gently run the back of a fork from the stem to the base to flatten the flesh into an even oval piece. Be careful not to break apart or mash the eggplant too much.
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In a tall-rimmed plate, combine the eggs, salt, and pepper. Beat the eggs until they’re fully mixed with the seasonings.
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Add the minced onion and garlic. Mix again.
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Add oil to a medium-sized nonstick skillet and heat over medium heat until hot. Take one of the eggplants and place it in the beaten eggs. Flip the eggplant twice to coat the flesh fully without coating the stem.
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Gently place the coated eggplant in the hot pan. Drizzle a bit more egg mixture on top of it. Cook until the egg turns light brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip the omelet by using a pair of tongs and a spatula. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the bottom turns light brown and the eggs are cooked through. Transfer the eggplant omelet to a serving plate. Repeat the same steps with the second eggplant. Drizzle a bit of extra oil into the pan if needed.
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Serve the omelet by itself, with rice, and/or with ketchup, banana ketchup, or your favorite hot sauce. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 256kcal, Carbohydrates: 6.6g, Protein: 10.6g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 4.6g, Cholesterol: 279mg, Sodium: 396mg, Potassium: 115mg, Fiber: 2.2g, Sugar: 3.8g, Calcium: 44mg, Iron: 2mg
