Mini Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant parmesan is good. Mini things are cute. Mini eggplant parmesan is good and cute.
Lately, when I've been making eggplant parm, I broil the eggplant slices. It's healthier. In cooking class in Italy, I learned to make eggplant by lightly dredging in flour and quickly frying. So, today, I cooked eggplant the classic way, and it was great.

Eggplant Parmesan Stacks
slightly adapted from Martha Stewart
Ingredients:
3-4 small eggplants, sliced in 1/4 inch rounds
kosher salt
canola or vegetable oil, for frying
1 1/2 cups simple tomato sauce (recipe below)
4 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

I like to peel stripes in eggplants before cooking. The skin helps the eggplant stay together, but it can be tough. When you peel in stripes, you get the best of both worlds, and it looks nice.

Slice the eggplant and put slices in a colander. Sprinkle with kosher salt and let sit for at least an hour. The salt draws the water out of the eggplant, and helps prevent a soggy dish.

Here they are sprinkled with salt.

And then an hour or so later, you can see all the water that's been pulled out.

To make the tomato sauce:
In a medium saucepan, heat a couple teaspoons olive oil over medium low.
Add 1-2 small cloves of garlic, and cook a few minutes until fragrant.
Add in basil and oregano (fresh if you have it, dried if you don't).
Add in 14 oz. crushed tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes.

In a large saute or frying pan, heat about a 1/4 inch oil over medium high heat. You want to fry very quickly just to create a crispy crust on the eggplant. The longer you fry, the more oil it will absorb, and greasy eggplant is not good. Lightly dredge the eggplant slices in flour and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side. If it's taking longer, raise the heat. Be careful when putting the eggplant into the oil, because oil can pop out of the pan. It burns. And then you'll be there wishing you hadn't stuck your arm over the pan.

When the eggplant is cooked, it will be a nice brown color and have a slightly crispy crust. I ate about 5 of these little rounds just to make sure they were good. They were.

Spread a little sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. This prevents the eggplant from sticking.

Put a layer of eggplant slices on the bottom, I fit 12. Add a teaspoon of sauce and a slice of mozzarella.

Repeat layers as high as it stands up, I fit four before they started to lean precariously. Top with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Bake in a 425 degree oven for 12 minutes.

Comments

My big sister and the egg sandwich that might cure her cancer

I usually like to keep things light hearted here At Home With Ann. Simple recipes, awkward jokes, toddler antics and kitchen fiascos. But we all experience times in life when we are thrown for a loop and face something that stops us in our tracks. I, like a classic control freak, tend to keep things to myself. Everything is under control, see? My house is clean, dinner is cooked, the dishes are done, I'm on schedule, I blow dried my hair, I don't need help. See? See? But this time it's not about me, it's not something I can control, and wishing it away won't actually make it go away. Me, my Mom and Sarah last Summer Three years ago my sister, Sarah, was diagnosed with a form of leukemia called AML (acute myeloid leukemia). My reaction was typical. This happens to other people. Not my 33 year old sister who lives by the ocean, gets tons of fresh air and exercise, and eats healthier than anyone who has ever entered Whole...

Peanut Sauce Spaghetti Squash Bowls

I know, it's been a while. Turns out wrangling three little boys doesn't leave a lot of time for recipe writing and food photos. We still eat, though, and pretty well! Mostly I share quick recipes and meals on my Facebook page At Home With Ann , so please follow me there! I love spaghetti squash as a substitute for pasta. It's healthy, way lower in carbs and higher in vitamins. It's also easier to prep than zucchini noodles, and I think it stands up to hearty sauces better. I simply stab it with a sharp knife a few times, and roast it in a 400 degree oven for an hour, or until a knife easily slides through the skin. Let cool, cut open, discard seeds and shred with a fork. Spaghetti squash with meatballs is in our regular dinner rotation, but there is often a lot of leftover squash. This easy vegetarian dish is a perfect quick dinner or lunch, and if your kids don't go for the peanut sauce, there is plenty of cut veggies for them to eat. Peanut Sauce Spa...

Not Really Engagement Chicken

There is an urban legend of the Engagement Chicken , a dish that if made for your boyfriend, he will be so impressed with your domestic skills he'll propose. I've been married for a year and a half, so I'm not putting it to the test, but I thought it might be a good way to make my first attempt at roasting a whole chicken. After research, I decided to take aspects of recipes from Ina Garten , the Pioneer Woman , and good old Joy of Cooking . The first step of making roast chicken is by far the hardest. You have to remove the neck and innards and rinse the raw bird. Because he is a good person, my husband did that part for me while I covered my eyes and ran out of the kitchen. After it was all clean and patted dry with paper towels, I stuffed a halved lemon and 4 cloves of garlic inside, and coated the entire chicken with olive oil. After coating with oil, I sprinkled liberally with salt, pepper, sage, and thyme. The best part is that th...

at home with ann

Search This Blog