Papeton d'aubergines is Avignon's aubergine flan: roasted aubergine flesh set with eggs, baked in a tall mould and turned out with a fresh tomato coulis.
The story of Papeton d'aubergines
The papeton is claimed as a typically Avignon dish, a flan of aubergine purée and eggs whose name is said to come from the mould it was baked in, shaped like a papal tiara, a nod to the popes who lived in the city from 1309 to 1377. Frédéric Mistral's Provençal dictionary does not list it, so the name may be more recent than the story.
How to make Papeton d'aubergines
Serves: Serves 6
Ingredients
- 1.2kg aubergines
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 5 eggs
- 100ml whole milk or single cream
- Salt and black pepper
- Butter for the mould
- 500g ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped, for the coulis
Method
- Halve the aubergines, score the flesh, brush with 2 tbsp olive oil and roast at 200°C for 40 minutes until soft.
- Scoop out the flesh, cook it for 5 minutes with the garlic in the remaining oil to drive off moisture, then chop it finely.
- Beat the eggs with the milk, fold in the aubergine and season well.
- Pour into a buttered 1.5 litre mould, stand it in a roasting tin of hot water and bake at 170°C for about 45 minutes, until set in the centre.
- Simmer the tomatoes for 15 minutes with a pinch of salt, blend smooth, and serve the turned-out papeton warm with the coulis.
Editor tip. Let the papeton rest for 10 minutes before turning it out, or it will crack; it is just as good cold the next day.
The editor picks for Papeton d'aubergines in Avignon are still in research. Meanwhile, see the Avignon signature-dishes index or the Avignon food guide.