Eggplant Parmesan December 21, 2006

Ingredients
2 lb. Eggplant (Sliced)
Flour, for coating
Oil, for frying (I use Enova whenever I fry something, it helps with the guilt!)
1/3 C. Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 C. Mozzarella Cheese (Sliced Thinly) (I like to use Buffalo Mozzarella for this…)
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

For the Sauce…
4 T. Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion (Very Finely Chopped)
1 Clove Garlic (Very Finely Chopped)
1 lb. Tomatoes (Fresh or Canned, Chopped, With Their Juice) (I use the canned tomatoes with the added basil, etc.)
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Fresh Basil

Method
1. Wash the eggplants, cut into rounds about 1/2 inch wide, sprinkle with salt and leave to drain on paper towels about 1 hour. Flip and repeat.
2. Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce. Heat the oil, add the onion and cook until translucent, 5-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the basil. Cook for 20-30 minutes, then puree with a handheld immersion blender.
3. Pat the eggplant slices dry with paper towels, and remove any remaining salt. Coat lightly in flour. Heat oil in frying pan and cook over low to moderate heat with pan covered until soft. Turn and cook other side. Repeat with remaining slices.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a wide, shallow baking dish. Spread a little tomato sauce in bottom. Cover with a layer of eggplant. Sprinkle with a few teaspoons of Parmesan, season with salt and pepper, and cover with a layer of mozzarella. Spoon on some tomato sauce. Repeat until all ingredients used up, ending with a covering of tomato sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan. Sprinkle with a little olive oil and bake for 45 minutes.

DO NOT SKIP THE SALT STEP WITH THE EGGPLANT!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you’ve ever tried to make eggplant parm and had it turn out undercooked (no matter how many times you kept putting it back in the oven, or zapped it in the microwave…), not salting the eggplant is the reason why! It draws out the bitter tasting water in the eggplant and allows them to cook quickly and melt in your mouth. It doesn’t make the dish taste salty! Just be sure to wipe off any remaining salt before you fry. This recipe is to die for! I just made it for a pre-holiday get together and was able to put it together 2 days before serving, pop it in the fridge and cook the day of. It was great and super easy because it could be done so far in advance. The recipe is from a cookbook I mentioned I love, “Italian” by Carla Capalbo. Enjoy!

Greek Eggplant Dip (Poor Man’s Caviar) December 7, 2006

Ingredients
1 Eggplant (Peeled and Cubed)
1 Small Onion (Grated)
2 Cloves Garlic (Minced)
1 Large Chopped Tomato
3/4 C. Olive Oil
1 T. Vinegar
Salt and Pepper

Method
1. Bake eggplant at 350 degrees until soft. Mix with other ingredients in food processor and serve with crusty bread

This was my favorite appetizer when I lived in Greece! The woman who cooked for us gave me the recipe. Every other recipe I’ve found in Greek cookbooks for this didn’t taste right, but this is really good!