A Sunny Sunday Dinner: Eggplant Parmesan

Delicious vegetable goodness on a hot summer evening

I was able to buy all of these ingredients either at the Saturday farmers market or at the co-op, which made me feel very pleased with myself.  Dinner - and the whole weekend - was a celebration of sunshine and things that grow.
This version of eggplant parmesan is based on the dish they serve at Mario Batali's restaurant, The Tarry Lodge, in Port Chester NY.  It's a lot lighter than most eggplant parmesan's I've tried and the eggplant is left un-breaded, and cut into thick chunks, so it still actually tastes like eggplant. [The Food Network recipe for Mr. Batali's parm is here]  I added extra vegetables and a somewhat improvised tomato sauce recipe for a greater summer to bite ratio.
I decided to make my own tomato sauce for this recipe because I like doing it - though it would still certainly taste delicious with jarred sauce.  I used canned tomatoes because tomatoes aren't in season yet here :(  I once read on the Paupered Chef that using carrots in your tomato sauce makes it twice as good - and it does - so I have included them in my sauces since.  [For a more pulled-together recipe for tomato sauce I recommend Blake Royer's Basic Tomato Sauce]  However here is my version made from what I already had in the kitchen.

Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients for Super Easy Tomato Sauce:

- 1 medium carrot

- 1 medium onion

- 2 cloves of garlic

 - 28oz can of peeled whole tomatoes

- 1 tbsp of tomato paste

- about 6 basil leaves

- salt and pepper to taste

All the other Ingredients:

- 2 medium sized egg plants

- 3/4 cup of fresh grated parmesan

- 2 cups of sliced fresh mozzarella

- 1 bunch of basil

- ~3 oz of spinach

- 2 cups of chopped green beans

- 1/2 cup of course bread crumbs

- a couple tbsps of olive oil

For Tomato Sauce: 

Using a cheese grater, grate the onion and the carrot into a large pot.  Sauté until onion becomes transparent.  Add garlic, either finely chopped or crushed.   Add entire can of tomatoes and crush with spatula until in small manageable chunks.  Mix in the tomato paste and let simmer.  Season with salt and pepper.  Tear up basil leaves and stir in.  Turn down the heat until it is just barely simmering and cover - let cook for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile...

Preheat oven to 440°.

Cut eggplant into 3/4 inch thick disks.  Salt both sides and arrange in an oiled baking sheet.  Bake for ten minutes - or until beginning to turn brown; flip pieces and bake for another 5 minutes.  Take the sheet out and set aside.  Meanwhile chop and blanch the green beans until bright green but not squishy.

The final layer, ready to bake.

In a baking dish arrange the largest pieces next to one another until the cover the bottom (I had a large shallow dish so it took 8 pieces to cover the bottom, if your dish is smaller and deeper however you can maker fewer, taller stacks.)  On each disk place some mozzarella, a sprinkle of parmesan and a leaf or two of basil.  Make a layer of spinach that covers all of the eggplant.  Place another disk of eggplant on top of the ones already in the pan.  Repeat the same process until all of the spinach, and eggplant are used up.  Spoon drained green beans into the spaces between the stacks of eggplant and anywhere they will fit.  Then, pour tomato sauce over the stacks of eggplant, cheese, spinach etc.  Distribute remaining cheese, and basil over the top.  Sprinkle with breadcrumbs.

Decrease oven temp to 350°.

Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melty and beginning to brown.

Makes 8 servings.