Why it works: Basil and oregano match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,390 recipes. Both carry estragole, which smells anise, licorice. The science ↓
Oven Eggplant
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the eggplant
Cook eggplant in boiling water, covered, for 10 minutes.
Drain and cut in half lengthwise.
Scoop out the insides, leaving a ½" shell.
Make the filling
Mash the scooped-out insides with cottage cheese, onion, bay leaf, basil, oregano, and tomato sauce.
Bake and serve
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Stuff the eggplant halves, place in a casserole dish, and bake covered for 15 minutes.
Add a little water to the bottom of the pan to keep the eggplant moist.
Top with provolone cheese.
Bake for 5 more minutes uncovered.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 8 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Provolone Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 100 |
| Cottage Cheese | 1/2 cup (113g) 2% | 98 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Eggplant | 1 cup cubed (82g) | 35 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Oregano | 1 tsp dried (1.8g) | 5 |
| Bay Leaf | 1 leaf (0.6g) | 2 |
| Basil | 5 leaves fresh (2.5g) | 1 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Basil + oreganotop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,390 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Eggplant + oreganotop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together157 recipes
Shared aroma: alpha-pinene (pine, turpentine).
-
Eggplant + basiltop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together271 recipes
Shared aroma: alpha-pinene (pine, turpentine).
-
Basil + tomatotop 1% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,979 recipes
Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).
-
Oregano + tomatotop 2% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,767 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-hexenal (green, leafy).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Eggplant
- Forms the edible shell and its soft, moist flesh becomes the filling base.
- Cottage cheese
- Adds creaminess and moisture to the mashed filling and binds it together.
- Provolone
- Melts over the top and browns lightly, adding richness and a savory finish.
- Tomato sauce
- Adds moisture and acidity, giving the filling its savory tomato flavor.
- Onion
- Contributes savory depth and aroma to the filling as it bakes.
The step that matters
Keep the eggplant moist while baking. Eggplant flesh dries out and turns leathery in dry heat. The small amount of water in the pan creates steam that keeps the shells tender during baking.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (eggplant, cottage cheese, basil, oregano, tomato, sauce):
- Capsicumfits better
- Spinachfits better
- Cucumberfits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against eggplant, cottage cheese, basil, oregano, tomato, sauce. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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