Crispy Fried Eggplant and Mozzarella finger sandwiches

Sandwiches
4 Japanese eggplants, sliced into 1/2 inch thick slices
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Herb Spread
3 garlic cloves
1/2 c loosely packed basil
1/4 c loosely packed parsley
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tbsp olive oil
1 lb fresh mozzarella cut into 1/4-inch-thick-slices
3 large eggs
1 c parmesan
vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 425. For the sandwiches: On a baking sheet, lightly brush eggplant slices with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 mins until golden brown.

Herb spread: In a blender or food processor, combine garlic, basil, parsley, red pepper flakes and oil; blend until well combined. Spread the paste on half of the roasted eggplant slices, then top each with a piece of mozzarella. Place remaining eggplant pieces on top to make finger sandwiches.

Dip each finger sandwich in beaten egg, then parmesan, until well coated. Heat 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a large pan. Saute the finger sandwiches for a couple of minutes on each side until nicely brown. Drain on paper towels.

Makes about 20

Inside-Out Eggplant Parmigana

In my first attempt at this, I prepared almost according to the exact recipe. I would like the patties to be crisper, so I've minimized the size from 1/4 cup to 2 tablespoons. Also, if you love arugula, you can use more than called for below.


2 (1-pound) eggplants
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus additional for drizzling
3/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced, divided
5 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
1/4 pound arugula, coarse stems discarded, coarsely chopped
1 cup packed basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound cold fresh mozzarella, cut into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices
Tomato Sauce

Bake eggplant:

Preheat oven to 400°F.Cut 12 (1/3-inch-thick) rounds from widest portion of eggplants. (I peel the skins - not shown above). Brush both sides with 2 tablespoons oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt (total). Bake on an oiled baking sheet, turning once, until golden and tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm, covered. Leave oven on.

Make egg patties and sauté arugula:

Stir together bread crumbs, parmesan, parsley, half of garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, then stir in eggs and water.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Drop about 2 tablespoons of egg mixture into skillet and cook, turning once, until patties are golden brown and puffed, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet and cook remaining garlic with red-pepper flakes, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 30 seconds. Add arugula and basil and stir until just wilted, then stir in 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Assemble stacks:

Arrange egg patties on a baking sheet. Top each with tomato sauce, 1 slice mozzarella, 1 eggplant slice, 2 more tablespoons tomato sauce, another eggplant slice, arugula mixture, and remaining eggplant. Bake until cheese melts, 5 to 10 minutes. Drizzle with additional oil and serve remaining sauce on the side.

Eggplant Rollatini

Eggplant is one of my favorite things to eat! This pic shows the skin on, but I always peel mine.

3 medium-sized eggplants (about 4 pounds total)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable spray
32 ounces ricotta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
8 tablespoons grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (optional)
20 basil leaves, chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
2 cups fresh tomato sauce, see my Marinara sauce

Preheat the grill pan and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place a rack over a large baking sheet. Cut the eggplants lengthwise, into 1/2-inch thick slices. Arrange eggplant slices onto rack. Sprinkle with sea salt to help remove excess moisture and any bitterness from the eggplants. Set aside for about 10 to 15 minutes. Brush or rinse off the salt from the eggplants and pat dry with a towel. Spray hot grill pan with a generous amount of veggie spray and then place eggplant slices on the grill until lightly browned on each side and tender, about 4 minutes per side. Remove slices from the grill pan and allow to cool.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until lightly scrambled. Mix the ricotta in with the egg. Add mozzarella, 3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts and gently combine. Fold in basil just to combine. Do not overmix.

Place a tablespoon of the cheese mixture on 1 end of the eggplant and roll up tightly. Place the eggplant rollatini into a greased (with olive oil) 13 by 9-inch baking dish, seam side down. Continue with remaining eggplant. Evenly distribute the tomato sauce on top of the eggplant rollatini. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining 5 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and bake for 15 minutes. When cooked, drizzle the top with extra-virgin olive oil.

Crispy Eggplant Fritters with Smoked Mozzarella

Bite-sized and fun for parties, or a nice break from the traditional eggplant parm.

2 large eggplants (2 lbs)

1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided

Olive oil (for brushing and frying)

2 large eggs

3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/4 cups plain dry breadcrumbs, divided

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour

4 ounces smoked mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 20 cubes)

marinara sauce for dipping (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut eggplants crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place on layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt; let stand 30 minutes.

Spray 2 baking sheets with oil. Pat eggplant dry; arrange in single layer on prepared sheets. Brush lightly with oil. Bake until eggplant is tender and dry, about 1 hour. Cool slightly; chop coarsely.

Whisk 1 egg, grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, parsley, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Stir in chopped eggplant (mixture will be soft).

Spread 1 cup breadcrumbs on plate. Whisk 1 egg and flour in another bowl. Press and shape eggplant mixture into 1 1/4 -inch-diameter balls. Press 1 piece smoked mozzarella into center of each ball, making sure eggplant mixture covers cheese. Dip balls, 1 at a time, into egg batter; roll in breadcrumbs to coat.

Pour enough oil into large skillet to reach depth of 1/4 inch; heat over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add balls to skillet; saute until browned, turning often, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

Compliments of Bon Appetit