Fresh, easy, and incredibly delicious, this slimmed down eggplant Parmesan can make anyone an eggplant lover. An oldie, but oh-so-goodie recipe, it can be found in my Eat More of What You Love cookbook, and also as a repeat all-star in Eat What You Love Restaurant Favorites. It’s truly a family favorite in my house. My Italian mother even ooh’s and ahh’s every time she eats it.
The trick to rendering eggplant soft, luscious, and delicious, is to sprinkle slices of it with salt before preparing the dish. The salt draws out the usual bitterness and the result is a tender, mild Parmesan-style dish that everyone loves. If there are just two you, rest assured leftovers are wonderful! Add pasta and meatballs if you please, or for a simple supper simply add a green salad and warm bread or rolls.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1 medium to large globe eggplant (about 1 pound)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup flour
1 large egg
½ cup breadcrumbs
½ cup panko crumbs
1½ cups marinara sauce (or one 14-ounce jar)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
1 cup shredded reduced fat, or part skim, mozzarella
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, optional
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Generously spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Slice eggplant (with skin) into ¼-inch slices (I get 8). Place eggplant in a bowl, toss with salt and let sit for 10 minutes. Lightly rinse eggplant and pat dry.
3. In a shallow bowl, mix together breadcrumbs and panko crumbs. In another shallow bowl, beat the egg until frothy. Place flour in a third bowl. Dip eggplant in flour, then egg (letting excess egg drip off) and then into the breadcrumb mixture. Coat both sides and place eggplant slices on baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping eggplant slices over after 10 minutes.
4. Add pepper flakes to marinara, if desired. Place ¾ cup marinara sauce in bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Line baking dish with eggplant slices, slightly overlapping them, and top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle shredded cheeses on top. Bake for 15 minutes. Garnish with basil.
Nutrition Information Per Serving: Calories 225 | Carbohydrate 23g (Sugars 5 g) | Total Fat 7 g (Sat Fat 2g) | Protein 15g | Fiber 3g | Cholesterol 45mg | Sodium 620mg | Food Exchanges: 2 Vegetable, 1 Starch, 1 Medium Fat Meat, 1 Fat | Carbohydrate Choices: 1½ | Weight Watcher Point Comparison: Green 5 | Blue 5 | Purple 5
