Eggplant Parmesan
Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients:
2 large eggplants
1 can tomatoes
6 oz mozzarella cheese (grated)
2 oz parmesan cheese (grated)
3 garlic cloves
2 tbs roughly chopped basil leaves
3-5 tbsp olive oil
Seasoning:
Salt/Pepper
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp oregano
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp basil
¼ tsp rosemary
(You can also substitute the last 4 herbs with 2 tsp of good Italian seasoning blend)
Instructions:
Wash and cut the eggplant into circles 1/3 of an inch thickness and lay them on a roasting pan on parchment paper in a single layer.
Sprinkle olive oil, salt and black pepper on top.
Place into a preheated oven at 400 degrees to roast for 30-45 min until golden in color and super soft in texture.
Take the eggplant out when done and set aside to cool
While the eggplant is cooking, heat up the rest of the olive oil and cook roughly chopped garlic cloves for a minute, until fragrant.
Pour the entire can of tomatoes and all the spices, stir and allow to simmer for 30-60 min. The tomatoes will get broken down and saucy as they cook.
Taste and adjust your seasoning, add more salt or pepper to your liking.
Grate both mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
We are now ready to assemble.
Divide your eggplant circles into three batches to create three layers. Select a baking dish that allows you to lay out the eggplant in a single layer, close together but not touching.
Put a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of the dish, then eggplant, then 1/3 of your sauce, 1/3 mozzarella cheese, 1/3 of parmesan cheese, 1/3 basil leaves.
Continue to assemble until all three layers are done.
If serving right away, then place in a preheated to 400 degrees oven, to allow the cheese to melt and form a crust. It will take 20-30 min.
You can also cover it with a lid and cook in the oven in a day or two or freeze for up to three months. It’s a perfect dish to make ahead.
You can double the recipe to make one eggplant parmesan now and freeze one for later.
Health Benefits:
This is a healthier version of traditional eggplant parmesan, since we are not frying the eggplant in breadcrumbs. By eliminating the breadcrumbs and the frying steps of the traditional recipe, we are drastically reducing the oil requirement here. The flavor is not compromised in any way and the texture is well balanced by the crusty cheese on top with soft eggplant below it. Eggplant is like a sponge and can absorb a lot of oil as it cooks on the frying pan. We limit the oil used by roasting the eggplant on parchment paper with just a sprinkle of olive oil, instead of deep frying or even pan frying it. Eggplant is a satisfying and versatile vegetable, loaded with fiber, antioxidants and important vitamins such as Vitamin K, C and B6, potentially helping your heart health, blood sugar control and digestion.
