Eggplant
I don't measure when I cook, so amounts of spices are
estimates. You can probably ease up on the salt if that's a
concern, but don't go too light with the black pepper or the
sauce will be too bland.
>
This should make enough to fit in (2) 8" or 9" foil cake pans
(either round or square).
>
3 eggplants
1 large can (35 oz) of tomatoes (pureed in blender)
1 small onion (chopped)
olive oil
salt
black pepper
basil
Locatelli romano cheese (grated)
(Note: do NOT add garlic - it will change the whole experience!)
>
Prepare eggplants:
Peel, slice into approx. 1/2" slices, layer in a colander (salt each
layer) Once all of the slices are layered in the colander,
put a weight on top (bowl or pot filled with water)
Set the colander on a plate & let sit for at least an hour to
drain. Discard the juice that drains out.
>
Fry the eggplant slices in olive oil until they are fork tender.
Lay out on paper towels to drain.
>
Sauce:
Cook chopped onion in olive oil until soft. (Use only
enough oil to barely cover the onion.)
Add pureed tomatoes, salt (approx. 1 tsp.), pepper (approx.
1 tsp.) & basil (approx. 1/2 tsp. dried).
Cook (slow bubble) for 15 or 20 minutes.
>
Layer in cake pans:
Put just enough sauce in pan to cover the bottom.
Put one layer of eggplant.
Lightly cover with sauce.
Cover generously with grated romano cheese.
Repeat until you have 3 or 4 layers of eggplant (I layer in
both pans at the same time so the 2 pans end up with about the
same amount.)
Finish with a light cover of sauce.
>
Bake in oven (325) for about 15 minutes so everything melts together.
>
You can eat it hot or cold. Have some good italian bread with
it. It goes great with breaded veal or chicken cutlets.
>
I don't measure when I cook, so amounts of spices are
estimates. You can probably ease up on the salt if that's a
concern, but don't go too light with the black pepper or the
sauce will be too bland.
>
This should make enough to fit in (2) 8" or 9" foil cake pans
(either round or square).
>
3 eggplants
1 large can (35 oz) of tomatoes (pureed in blender)
1 small onion (chopped)
olive oil
salt
black pepper
basil
Locatelli romano cheese (grated)
(Note: do NOT add garlic - it will change the whole experience!)
>
Prepare eggplants:
Peel, slice into approx. 1/2" slices, layer in a colander (salt each
layer) Once all of the slices are layered in the colander,
put a weight on top (bowl or pot filled with water)
Set the colander on a plate & let sit for at least an hour to
drain. Discard the juice that drains out.
>
Fry the eggplant slices in olive oil until they are fork tender.
Lay out on paper towels to drain.
>
Sauce:
Cook chopped onion in olive oil until soft. (Use only
enough oil to barely cover the onion.)
Add pureed tomatoes, salt (approx. 1 tsp.), pepper (approx.
1 tsp.) & basil (approx. 1/2 tsp. dried).
Cook (slow bubble) for 15 or 20 minutes.
>
Layer in cake pans:
Put just enough sauce in pan to cover the bottom.
Put one layer of eggplant.
Lightly cover with sauce.
Cover generously with grated romano cheese.
Repeat until you have 3 or 4 layers of eggplant (I layer in
both pans at the same time so the 2 pans end up with about the
same amount.)
Finish with a light cover of sauce.
>
Bake in oven (325) for about 15 minutes so everything melts together.
>
You can eat it hot or cold. Have some good italian bread with
it. It goes great with breaded veal or chicken cutlets.
>
You will probably have some sauce left. Drain the water from a
can of french-cut green beans & add to the sauce. Cook until
the green beans are hot. Another great & very easy side dish.
>
>
This recipe had to have been passed down from Nonna to her 2 daughters (Aunt Helen and my grandmother, Julia) because my mom makes the very same recipe; she most likely got it from my grandmother. The only difference that I can recall is that my mom did not bake it; she refrigerated it after assembling it or left it at room temp if we were going to eat it shortly thereafter. It's a very light dish, not heavy like breaded eggplant. It makes some of the best sandwiches this side of heaven!
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