Photo by Lawrence Tabudlo
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This easy eggplant recipe is fast and not oily. In Italy, it is called parmigiana. In America, we call it Parmesan, after the cheese. This recipe is not the traditional parmigiana, as the eggplant is not breaded. Bake the sliced eggplant until tender, then add store-bought red sauce, called pasta sauce or spaghetti sauce. Add a few Italian herbs, like Italian mix, oregano or rosemary and top with two kinds of cheese —one for saltiness and another for a creamy cheese texture. Place back in the oven and enjoy a satisfying eggplant Parmesan that can feed a family of four, especially if you serve this on a bed of pasta. Better yet, there is no frying of the eggplant!
Easy Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients:
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 round eggplant
• 3 cups pasta sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced
• 3 ounces grated Parmesan
• Optional garnish: fresh sweet basil leaves
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil and brush on olive oil so eggplant does not stick to foil. Slice eggplant into 1/2 rounds and place on foil covered baking pan. Bake until tender, about 20 minutes.
Remove from oven, and bake longer if eggplant is not tender. Keep oven turned on. Cover eggplant with cheese, then cover with pasta sauce.
Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, then Parmesan cheese. Bake until both cheeses are melted, about 10 minutes. Garnish with basil leaves. Serves 4 as a main dish.