3/26/18
Welcome to the 2nd edition of Meatless Monday!
Today, we will be making Eggplant Parmesan and using a bag of the sauce base we prepped a few weeks ago.
There’s really not much involved with this recipe as it’s fairly simple with few ingredients. I like to stick with the K.I.S.S. method as much as possible – Keep It Simple Stupid! Sometimes the most complex tasting dishes have the fewest ingredients and THAT is what makes any recipe a keeper in my book!
I know eggplant & zucchini aren’t in season now and finding good quality summer veggies are often hard to find at your local grocery store this time of year. However, I’ve found that Aldi’s and Whole Foods tend to have a great selection. When storing eggplant, it’s best to keep it in your vegetable bin or the warmest section in your refrigerator as it can’t withstand temperatures below 45 degrees without damage. If you’ve purchased the eggplant and plan on cooking within 24hrs, it’s safe to store on the counter.
Let’s give a shout out to my lovely assistant, Laina, for making this dish!!! This amazing 10yr old prepped and cooked the entire thing by herself! See?!? EVERYONE can learn to cook, no matter how young or old 😊
Ingredients (serves 4 – 6)
- 2 medium eggplant
- 1 bag sauce base
- 8 oz can tomato sauce
- 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes – optional
- 1/2 cup grape seed oil
- 1 cup flour
- 2 cups Italian bread crumbs
- 2 1/2cups shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- salt & pepper
***If you did NOT make the sauce base, replace with 1 jar spaghetti sauce of your choice and omit the can of tomato sauce & diced tomatoes***
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a 2 quart (7″ x 11″) casserole dish.
- Defrost your sauce base. To do this, place the bag in a bowl of very hot water for 10 minutes or place in the sink and run hot water over it for about 5 minutes. ***If you did not make the base, skip this step***
- Wash the eggplants and cut widthwise into 1/2 – 3/4 inch medallions, discarding the tops & bottoms. Lightly rinse again in a strainer and pat dry with a paper towel.
- In a medium sized sauce pan, heat 4 tbs oil on medium high heat until warm. **Quick tip: The best way to make sure your oil is hot enough is to place a wooden spoon handle into the pan touching the bottom. If bubbles slowly form around the handle then it’s ready! If it immediately bubbles then your oil is too hot. Reduce heat and wait a minute or two then try again.**
- Place the flour in a gallon sized bag. Add the eggplant and shake well to coat.
- Put beaten eggs in separate small shallow bowl. In a medium sized bowl, combine the bread crumbs & 2 cups parmesan cheese and mix until well blended.
- Dip flour coated eggplant in the eggs & finish by dipping in the bread crumb and cheese mixture. Once coated, set in the sauce pan and cook 2 minutes per side or until the crust is lightly golden. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate once finished.
- In the same pan, combine defrosted sauce base, tomato sauce & diced tomatoes. If using jarred sauce, pour into pan. Heat on medium high and stir well. Reduce heat and cover once warmed well. Add salt & pepper if desired.
- Now that the eggplant has cooled and the sauce is warm, it’s time to bake! Place eggplant medallions in the dish to cover the bottom. Take a spoonful of the sauce and place on top of each medallion. Add a 2nd layer of eggplant on top of the sauce and repeat until all eggplant pieces are used making sure to place a spoonful of sauce in between layers and finishing with a spoonful on top. Basically the same as making lasagna. I usually make 3 medallion high stack.
- Use the last 1/2 cup of parmesan and sprinkle on top.
- Place in the oven and bake uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool on a rack for 5 minutes.
- Plate and top with more paremsan or fresh parsley if desired.
You’re done! Pretty simple, right? Let me know what you think in the comments below. Don’t forget to like & share this post!
Enjoy!
XOXO – A
Dinner Thyme 