Want a perfect sandwich for the beach or a picnic? Bet eggplant parmesan wasn’t high on your list! I have fond memories of my mom making non-traditional sandwiches for Summer Sunday Outings to the beach. Zucchini and eggs, and yes, MY favorite, eggplant parm’. This sandwich satisfies your taste buds, tummy and strong bodies. Eggplant’s fiber, potassium, and antioxidants is topped off with lycopene and calcium from tomato sauce and cheese…makes this one my superb-super-food sandwich. Give it try ! Let me know if you like it!
Ingredients:
Eggplant, One medium fresh
Breadcrumbs plain or seasoned, 2-3 cups
Eggs, 4-5 large eggs for medium to large eggplant
Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, grated about ½ to 1 cup (¼ for egg mixture and ¼ -1/2 cup to sprinkle on top of the eggplant_
Fresh Mozzarella cheese, sliced thin (1/8 to ¼ inch)
Tomato sauce, plain marinara preferable. Meat sauce can also be used. About 4-5 cups- depending on how much sauce you like.
Vegetable oil (olive oil or canola). Vegetable cooking spray optional.
Kitchen Tools: 1 mixing bowl, a cutting board, wax paper or dish for breadcrumbs, 9 x 11 or 12 x 13 baking pan, fork, spatula, knife. Vegetable oil .
• Wash eggplant. Cut off both ends. Slice eggplant with the skin on about ¼ inch thick. Press out some water from the freshly cut eggplant between two pieces of paper towel, then slightly grill each side with 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in the pan, in a nonstick pan.
• Place breadcrumbs on a plate or wax paper and set aside.
• Beat 4 or 5 eggs in a bow with a fork, and add ¼ cup grated cheese and set aside.
• Lightly coat each side of the warm eggplant slice first in the breadcrumbs and then dip the eggplant into the egg mixture, and place in a hot frying pan. Fry on each side (You can also place on baking sheet pre-sprayed with cooking oil. Bake one side for 10 minutes then flip over to bake the other side.)
• Place the eggplant on paper towel to absorb excess oil from each slice.
• Cover the bottom of the baking pan with tomato sauce (just enough to coat the bottom), and sprinkle with some grated cheese. Place the slices of eggplant in a layer with a slice of mozzarella cheese on top of each eggplant slice. Pour a little more sauce over the top and sprinkle more grated cheese. To fit more in one pan, I usually place stagger two layers of sliced eggplant so you see the cheese on top of each slice.
• Place in over at 350 degrees. Cook until cheese melts and sauce bubbles.
Serve on Italian Bread and enjoy with a side salad!
Barbara Baron Associates 