Italian Recipe: Homemade Eggplant Parmesan

Honest-to-goodness Italian comfort food comes in all different varieties, but typically pasta or meat are part of the equation. If you're looking for something lighter-- or you're a vegetarian-- eggplant parmesan is a real winner. All the key components of a hearty & delicious Italian meal are here: parmesan, mozzarella, garlic, basil, olive oil, and tomato sauce. Basing the ingredients around eggplant rather than pasta or meat gives you an extra serving of veggies and leaves you feeling just a little bit less stuffed.

This recipe was a classic in our Italian-American household. My Italian-born Great-Grandmother always had a steaming plate of melanzane alla parmigiana waiting for us on the kitchen table. Make this your go-to recipe when it's Italian comfort food you're after!  

Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients:1 large eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/3 inch slices
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups whole peeled tomatoes
1/2 lb shredded mozzarella
1/3 cup grated parmesan
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 cup packed, fresh basil leaves

Directions:

1. Arrange a layer of eggplant slices in a colander. Sprinkle generously with salt. Continue layering and salting all eggplant slices.
Let stand 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. Dip each eggplant slice in beaten egg, and dredge with breadcrumbs.

2. Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet. Over medium high heat fry eggplant in 1/4 cup hot oil about 2 minutes per side until golden. Drain on absorbent paper.

3. Prepare tomato sauce: Combine tomatoes, garlic and 1/4 cup olive oil in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In the bottom of a 10x15 inch, lightly greased glass baking dish, spread 1 cup of tomato sauce. Top with one third of the eggplant slices. Top eggplant with half of the mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with one third of the Parmesan and half of the basil leaves.

5. Make a second layer of eggplant slices, topped by 1 cup of sauce, remaining mozzarella, half the remaining Parmesan, and all of the remaining basil. Add remaining eggplant, and top with the remaining tomato sauce and Parmesan.

6. Bake 25-30 minutes, until bubbly and slightly browned. Allow to rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.

7. Buon appetito!

Makes 4 servings.

Spanish Tapa Recipe: Fried Eggplant with Honey

If you find yourself in southern Spain with a tapas menu in front of you, you're practically obligated to order a portion of berenjas fritas con miel de caña. This is the specialty in Andalusia, a region that encompasses the cities of Sevilla, Malaga and Granada, and is known for its Moroccan influence in the kitchen. It's a real taste-bud pleaser, a lip-smacking blend of sweet sugar cane honey (miel de caña)  and crispy fried eggplant. 

You can dress up ordinary eggplant with this Spanish-inspired recipe that's easy to re-create at home. The trickiest part is tracking down miel de caña, which isn't always readily available outside Spain. If you can't get your hands on it, substitute your favorite honey or molasses. Either one complements the eggplant perfectly, and makes for a fantastic vegetarian appetizer or side dish. 

Fried Eggplant with Honey (Berenjas Fritas con Miel de Caña)

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant
• 1-2 tsp salt
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil for frying
• 1 cup unbleached white flour
• 2-3 oz "miel de cana" (honey or molasses)

Directions: 

1. Rinse the eggplant and dry with a towel. Slice the eggplant into rounds approximately 1/8-inch thick.

2. Lay the rounds on a large baking sheet and sprinkle them with salt. Flip them over and lightly salt the other side. Then allow the eggplant to sit for 1 hour to draw the moisture from the eggplant. Pat dry with a paper towel.

3. In a medium frying pan, pour olive oil and heat on medium-high. Keep a plate next to the stovetop and cover it with flour.

4. Once the oil has heated up, coat slices of eggplant in the flour on both sides. Shake off excess flour, then fry in oil. Flip over the slices once the bottom begins to look golden-brown. 

5. After both sides are cooked, remove eggplant slices from the oil and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

6. Arrange eggplant on a serving platter and drizzle with honey or molasses. Enjoy! 

Summer Recipe: Baked Eggplant Rolls

We’re in the midst of eggplant season, so why not take advantage? Many different types of cuisine use the eggplant as a great vessel for “rolls,” filled with everything from spinach and feta to Parmesan and tomato, but we’ve got our own little twist that’ll use some of those other garden veggies, too! With melted cheese inside and out, you can’t go wrong with these savory treats.

Baked Eggplant Rolls

Ingredients

• 1/4 tablespoons olive oil 
• 2 large eggplants (cut lengthways into slices 1/4-inch thick)
• 8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
• 4-5 carrots, shredded
• 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• 1 clove garlic, minded
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• Salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Prep the eggplant by sprinkling the slices with salt on both sides and letting them lay on paper towels for about 15 minutes.
3. Then, brush both sides with olive oil and cook each slice on a griddle or in a pan for about 3-5 minutes on each side. Let them drain on paper towels when they are done cooking.
4. As the eggplant slices cool, make the stuffing by mixing half the grated cheeses with the breadcrumbs, basil, tomatoes, and carrots. Season to taste and then bind everything with the egg.
5. Lightly grease a casserole dish with cooking spray.
6. Lay out the cooled eggplant slices and place 1-2 tablespoons of filling on the thinner end of each slice. Roll the eggplant slice so that it surrounds the filling, being careful to roll them fairly tightly. As you finish each roll, put it into the dish.
7. Sprinkle the rest of the grated cheese over the top of the rolls and bake them in the oven for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the rolls are tender.
8. Enjoy!