Eggplant parmesan can be a treat even for those who don’t regularly enjoy the vegetable, yet it’s often loaded in heavy fat and carbohydrates. Try this alternative for a lighter, still filling version of the dish; you may find it just as tasty. Without bread as a binder and a drying agent, the trick to making this work as best as possible and not letting the eggplant grow soggy is to dry the slices for an extended time period.
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants, sliced lengthwise
- 1 can crushed tomatoes
- ½ tablespoon oregano
- ½ tablespoon basil
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup Shredded parmesan cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoon minced parsley.
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅓ tablespoon salt per each eggplant slice
Directions
Cut your eggplant slices lengthwise or into rounds, whichever is preferred in traditional eggplant parmesan. Place each piece on paper towels, and sprinkle a healthy coating of salt over each slice. Leave to dry for at least an hour, in which time the salt will have extracted much of the moisture from the eggplant.
While the eggplant dries, heat a pan greased with olive oil on medium heat, and sautee minced garlic cloves until fragrant, around one minute. Then, add crushed tomatoes, and turn down the heat to a simmer before adding spices: basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. This will serve as the tomato sauce for the eggplant parmesan, so make sure to have it taste to your liking. In a separate bowl, mix 1 egg, ricotta cheese, and parsley until combined.
Once enough time has passed, wipe each eggplant slice down to eradicate the extracted moisture, and line a baking pan layer by layer with the ingredients. Line the bottom of the pan with olive oil before starting with one layer of marinara sauce spread evenly along the bottom, followed by a layer of eggplant slices, and then a layer of the ricotta mixture as well as some parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering in this order until all the eggplant slices are in the dish, and finish off with a final layer of cheeses. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 degrees Celsius for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese on the top turns golden brown.
