Tortang Talong (Filipino Eggplant Omelet)

About this Recipe

The garden blessed me with an abundance of Japanese eggplant this season and I have been enjoying having this ingredient at my disposal to play with and eat. I haven’t always loved eggplant. I spent most of my youth gagging at the thought of it. But after having more exposure to it and its various preparations, eggplant has become an ingredient I use in my regular cooking, which is why I decided to plant it in my little Brooklyn garden this year.

Tortang talong, or Filipino eggplant omelet, was one of my mother’s favorite breakfast dishes. Unfortunately, she was not quite skilled in the kitchen, so I really didn’t appreciate her version of the dish. After having it prepared by a variety of Filipino chefs here and abroad, this humble eggplant dish has become one that I look forward to eating and thoroughly enjoy when prepared the way I like it. With a little do-ahead preparation, it can be a quick and easy breakfast dish, and it’s also tasty enough to riff it into a dinner dish by adding some heartier toppings.

Traditionally, the eggplants are whole-charred until very tender, cooled, then peeled. Once peeled, the flesh is gently pounded until very flat, then dipped in an egg batter and griddled. Just like many recipes, tortang talong has many faces depending on who is preparing it. For me, the ideal tortang talong has a delicate, custardy interior with a gently smoky flavor that is bound together with the lightest coating of egg. The eggplant is much like the baveuse in a properly executed French omelet, adding a light richness to the bite.

Tortang Talong Variations
I’ve seen variations that have deeply cooked eggs with a dark brown exterior. Not only does the egg coating lose its tender bite and become firm, but the eggplant also loses quite a bit of liquid, which, in turn, loses the interior texture that I prefer. When I griddle the omelet, I shoot for medium brown spots, while also retaining some paler spots; just enough time to cook the egg thoroughly without robbing the essential moisture. However, if you prefer your tortang talong more well done, please cook yours to your preference.

The basic tortang talong recipe can be served with banana ketchup, regular ketchup, vinegar, or patis (Filipino fish sauce). I prefer to eat this dish as dinner, so I add extra protein as a garnish, like these aromatic Lamb Laab Crumbles, which are infused with South Asian aromatics. The ground meat not only bulks it out, but it also plays with the texture of the omelet and adds delicious flavors. The lamb crumbles can be made with any ground meat of your preference or with vegetarian faux ground meat.

You can use any eggplant that you prefer or have access to; just keep in mind to cook the eggplant until the listed indicator in the recipe. The size of the eggplant will determine the length of cook time. If using a larger eggplant, post-grilling, you can carefully cut the eggplant lengthwise through the stem, into portions while keeping the stem connected to the flesh. Remember, each piece of eggplant should have a stem handle; it keeps the flesh in tact adds to the visual drama! I did this for a gathering at my house a couple of weeks ago. I split the Japanese eggplant halfway through the stem to have slightly smaller portions for my guests amongst a small buffet of dishes to eat. It worked really well; you just have to be gentle.

I add a little bit of MSG to my egg batter for added depth; feel free to omit or increase to your liking!

In the summer, we love to grill eggplant for that infusion of smoky flavors. In the winter, when it’s too cold for grilling in the north, I whole roast them in the oven. You can always add smoky flavor back by seasoning it with a little smoked paprika or chipotle powder. I included roasting instructions in the recipe.

There are so many flavor directions you can take the eggplant in; try customizing the flavor profile by seasoning the eggplant with your favorite spice blend before dipping it in the egg batter.

Tortang Talong Make-ahead
You can pre-grill or pre-roast the eggplant, up to two days in advance. You can peel, flatten, and griddle in less than 30 minutes.

Tortang Talong Misc. Info
Tortang Talong’s etymology comes from the Spanish word “torta”. The Spanish have a similar dish that uses eggplant. Eggplant grows in abundance in the Philippines and is used in many Filipino home cooking staples.

Serves 4

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes

Instructions

1. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat. While the grill heats up, using a fork, poke some holes around the surface of the eggplant. Grill, covered, until the flesh is very tender and the exterior has collapsed, about 25 minutes. (Alternatively, place the eggplant on a sheet tray and roast at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the flesh is very tender and the exterior has collapsed). Remove and let cool to the touch, 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the aromatic lamb topping, if using.
2. Once cooled, gently remove skins, keeping the stem and flesh intact. Lightly season the flesh with salt, let rest 5-10 minutes to allow water to release. Transfer to cutting board. Using a flat-sided mallet, very gently pound or press the eggplant flesh into a thin, flat, cohesive layer. Repeat until all the eggplant have flattened flesh with the stem still attached. Any small pieces of flesh that break away can be used to patch gaps once the flesh has been battered.
3. Heat a cast-iron griddle pan or large skillet over medium heat. In a small wide bowl (such as a loaf pan or pie dish), whisk 2 eggs, a pinch of salt and 1/4 tsp MSG (optional) until well combined and frothy. Lightly season the eggplant with salt and black pepper. Add enough oil to the griddle to coat the bottom of the skillet in a thin layer (about 2 tablespoons for a large skillet). Once it begins to shimmer, finish preparing the eggplant.
4. Working one at time, holding the stem, dip the eggplant into the egg mixture, flipping to coat both side all the way up to the stem. Place the eggplant on the skillet and cook until the bottom is deep golden brown in spots, about 2 minutes, flip and cook, 2 minutes more.
5. Remove from the skillet and serve as is with banana ketchup, patis, vinegar or turn into dinner with aromatic ground meat topping.

Aromatic Ground Meat Crumbles

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