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Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 4 large eggplants
- salt
- 1/2 cup garlic and herb-seasoned bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 T. flour
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 eggs
- 4 T. olive oil
- 4½ cups tomato sauce
- 16 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
Preparation
Peel and slice eggplants into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Place paper towel on plate, and add single layer of eggplant on towel. Lightly salt eggplant, add paper towel on top of first layer and repeat, spreading out eggplant with paper towels between each layer. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least one hour; overnight is best.
Press eggplant with additional paper towels to remove excess moisture. Lightly rinse eggplant to remove excess salt, and pat dry with paper towels. Set eggplant aside to dry before frying.
In small bowl, mix bread crumbs and Parmesan, and set aside.
In medium bowl, whisk flour and water into smooth paste. Add eggs, and whisk again.
In large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Dip eggplant slices in batter, let it drip off, and place slices in single layer in fry pan. Sauté until golden-brown. Remove slices from pan, and set aside on plate while sautéing remaining eggplant. Repeat in batches. You might need to add oil between batches.
Line bottom and sides of slow cooker with foil, and coat foil with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Create layer of eggplant on bottom of pot using 1/3 of your slices. Slices should overlap to create solid layer.
Sprinkle with 1/3 of breadcrumb mix. Spread 1½ cup of marinara sauce, and cover with 1/3 of mozzarella cheese. Repeat this layering two more times using all ingredients, ending with cheese as top layer. Cover and cook on low for four hours. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes before serving. It can sit covered for several hours before serving.
Excerpt from Easy Garden Recipes, part of the Popular Kitchen Series, with permission from its publisher, BowTie, Inc. Purchase Easy Garden Recipes here.
