Eggplant Parmesan

A couple of weekends ago we went to my sister-in-law's cousins house for a family BBQ. Jacob immediately feel in love with his new favorite food, Eggplant Parmesan.  Jake seriously could not eat it fast enough, so I knew we needed to make it at home.  We have tried light versions in the past (baking vs. frying the eggplant), so I wanted to go that route when making it for Jake (and for my husband and I as well).  We used the Cooks Illustrated Light Recipe for Eggplant Parm.  This was an instant hit in toddler land.  Jake was already finished with his 1st serving before I even had a chance to sit down for dinner.  2 servings later, I had one very happy and no longer hungry toddler on my hands.  We made the full version that fills up a 9 x 13 glass baking dish and I froze half of it in individual serving containers for lunch or dinner for Jacob in the upcoming weeks.


Note: It is somewhat time consuming, so having 2 in the kitchen to prepare this is defiantly recommended!

Eggplant 2 pounds globe eggplant (2 medium eggplants), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds (I used a mandallon to cut the eggplant into perfect even rounds) Progressive International HGT-11 Folding Mandoline Slicer 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1.5 cups panko bread crumbs 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour 3 egg whites + tablespoon water Ground black pepper 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder Pam cooking spray 8 ounces reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups) 2 tablespoon minced fresh basil leaves Tomato Sauce 2 cans (28 ounces) diced tomatoes 4 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes ½ cup minced fresh basil leaves Salt and ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. 
   
   Toss half of the eggplant with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, then place in a large colander set over a bowel. Repeat with the remaining eggplant and 1 more teaspoon kosher salt, and transfer to the colander with the first batch. Let sit until the eggplant releases about 2 tablespoons liquid, 30 to 40 minutes. Spread the eggplant slices on a triple thickness of paper towels and cover with another triple thickness of paper towels. Press firmly on each slice to remove as much liquid as possible, and wipe off the excess salt.
   
   
2. 
   
   While the eggplant drains, prepare the tomato sauce. Process the tomatoes with their juices in a blender or food processor until mostly smooth; set aside. Cook the garlic, tomato paste, oil and pepper flakes in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the tomato paste begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in the pureed tomatoes and cook until the sauce is thickened, about 25 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil an season with the salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside until needed.
   

   

   
3. 
   
   Adjust the oven racks to the lower-middle and upper-middle positions and heat the oven to 475 degrees. Combine the bread crumbs and oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring often, until golden, about 10 minutes. Spread the bread crumbs into a shallow dish and let cool slightly; when cool, stir in the ½ cup Parmesan. Combine the flower, garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon pepper together into a second shallow dish. In a third shallow dish, whisk the egg whites and water together.
4. 
   
   Line 2 rimmed backing sheets with foil and coat with Pam cooking spray. Season the eggplant with pepper. Lightly dredge one side of each eggplant slice in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Dip the floured side of the eggplant into the egg whites, and then coat the same side with the bread crumbs. Press on the crumbs to make sure they adhere. Lay the eggplant breaded side up, on the baking sheets in a single layer.
   
5. 
   
   Lightly spray the top of the eggplant slices with the Pam cooking spray. Bake until the op of the eggplant slices are crisp and golden, about 30 minutes, rotating and switching the baking sheets halfway through baking.
   

   
6. 
   
   Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce in the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Layer in half of the eggplant slices, breaded side up, overlapping the slices to fit. Distribute ½ cup of the sauce over the eggplant; sprinkle with half of the mozzarella. Layer in the remaining eggplant, breaded side up, and spread with 1 cup of the sauce, leaving the majority of the eggplant exposed so it will remain crisp; sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella. Layer in the remaining eggplant, breaded side up, and spread 1 cup of the sauce, leaving the majority of the eggplant exposed so it will remain crisp; sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella. Bake until bubbling and the cheese is browned, about 10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with basil and serve, passing the remaining sauce and extra Parmesan separately.
   

   

Makes 6 servings. Cal 330; Fat 9 g; Sat fat 4 g; Chol 15 mg; Carb 40; Protein 22 g; Fiber 6 g