Baked Eggplant Marinara With Basil Recipe
Ingredients
| Salt | To Taste | |
| 2 medium eggplants sliced crosswise 1/3 inch thick | ||
| Vegetable oil | 2 Cup (16 tbs) (For frying) | |
| Dry bread crumbs | 1/4 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| 2 cups thick marinara sauce | ||
| 3 large hard-cooked eggs, sliced 1/4 inch thick | ||
| 1/4 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced 1/8 inch thick | ||
| 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves | ||
| black pepper | 1 | |
| Extra virgin olive oil | 1 Tablespoon | |
Directions
1. Salt the eggplant and lay in a colander. Cover with a plate and weight with a can. Let stand for 30 minutes. Pat dry.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large skillet, heat 1/8 inch of oil. Fry the eggplant in batches over moderately high heat until browned and tender, about 2 minutes per side. Drain the eggplant on paper towels. Add more oil to the skillet as needed.
3. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the bread crumbs in the bottom of a 10-inch round baking dish. Arrange half of the eggplant on top. Overlapping them slightly. Spread the marinara sauce over the eggplant and arrange the hard-cooked egg slices on top. Cover with the mozzarella. Scatter the basil over and season with pepper. Arrange the remaining eggplant on top. Cover the egg plant with foil and bake until the eggplant is heated through and the mozzarella is just melted, about 20 minutes.
4. Preheat the broiler. Uncover the eggplant and sprinkle with the remaining bread crumbs and the olive oil; broil until browned, about 2 minutes. Let rest for a minimum of 10 minutes and up to 30. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large skillet, heat 1/8 inch of oil. Fry the eggplant in batches over moderately high heat until browned and tender, about 2 minutes per side. Drain the eggplant on paper towels. Add more oil to the skillet as needed.
3. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the bread crumbs in the bottom of a 10-inch round baking dish. Arrange half of the eggplant on top. Overlapping them slightly. Spread the marinara sauce over the eggplant and arrange the hard-cooked egg slices on top. Cover with the mozzarella. Scatter the basil over and season with pepper. Arrange the remaining eggplant on top. Cover the egg plant with foil and bake until the eggplant is heated through and the mozzarella is just melted, about 20 minutes.
4. Preheat the broiler. Uncover the eggplant and sprinkle with the remaining bread crumbs and the olive oil; broil until browned, about 2 minutes. Let rest for a minimum of 10 minutes and up to 30. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.
Chef
