Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Easy Eggplant Parmesan

In an effort to slim down a little, I'm trying to keep my palate excited by trying new things. This week: eggplant. I went to a really great produce market with sooooo many vegetables. They actually had three (!) different varieties of eggplant! So, I came up with this recipe, based loosely on a recipe I found here. It is a much lighter version that the traditional eggplant parmesan as the slices are baked, not fried, and I am not using layer upon layer of sauce & cheese. Also, no need to bake for 40 minutes, as I just broil the top til brown.

1 medium eggplant
kosher salt
2 eggs
2 c. panko {coarse} breadcrumbs
1/4 c. parmesan
italian seasoning {if desired}

2 c. spaghetti sauce
1 c. shredded mozzarella
1/4 c. parmesan

Peel the eggplant and cut into 1/2" thick slices, discarding the very top & bottom. Sprinkle slices with kosher salt and leave to drain on a wire rack or some paper towels for 30 minutes. Pat dry. Preheat oven to 450° F. Mix together the breadcrumbs, parmesan and italian seasoning. Beat the eggs well. Dip each slice of eggplant first into the eggs, then into the breadcrumb mixture coating well on each side. Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 5-7 minutes per side or until golden brown. Place the eggplant in a 9x13" dish. Warm the spaghetti sauce, either in a pan or micro, and pour it over the top {you can use more or less to taste}. Sprinkle with the cheeses, again adding more or less as desired. Broil until golden brown on top. Serve alongside whole wheat pasta.

1 comment:

Saralyn said...

I'm going to try this! Don't know what the fam will think about eggplant, but I've been looking for some meatless meals. Thanks for posting it!