Basic Roasted Eggplant Food

BASIC ROASTED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Cut eggplants into 1-inch cubes; divide between 2 rimmed baking sheets.
• Dividing evenly, drizzle with olive oil, coarse salt, and ground pepper; toss to coat. Spread in a single layer; roast, turning once, until golden and tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on sheets.

HOW TO COOK EGGPLANT: OVEN ROASTED EGGPLANT RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
• Slice the eggplant crosswise to make circles, about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick. Cut off the leafy end only after you are done slicing, so that you'll have more to grab onto as you slice.
• Arrange the eggplant slices on an extra large baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Flip and repeat the olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and pepper.
• Roast the eggplant slices in the oven for about 30-35 minutes, until soft and golden.

ROASTED EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and arrange three racks evenly spaced.
• Lay the eggplant in one layer on three sheet pans and brush both sides with olive oil, using all the oil. Sprinkle with the oregano, crushing it lightly in your hands, then sprinkle with 1 1/2 tablespoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the slices and rotate the pans in the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, until tender. Leave the oven at 400 degrees F.
• In a 10 by 14 by 2-inch ceramic baking dish, spread a third of the marinara sauce. Arrange a third of the eggplant on top in one layer. Scatter a third of the basil, a third of the mozzarella, a third of the goat cheese, and a third of the Parmesan on top. Repeat twice, starting with the marinara and ending with the Parmesan, making sure each layer is evenly distributed.
• For the topping, place the bread crumbs, garlic, and basil in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the 1/4 cup olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt and pulse to moisten the crumbs. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the dish.
• Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown. Allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

EASIEST EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Place the bread crumbs in a shallow dish. Coat each slice of eggplant on both sides with mayonnaise. Press into the bread crumbs to coat. Place coated eggplant slices on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Flip slices over, and cook for an additional 20 to 25 minutes to brown the other side.

ROASTED EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with a layer of paper towel or a clean kitchen towel. Trim off the top and bottom of the eggplant and slice into 2-centimeter (1-inch) thick disks. Place the slices in a single layer onto the paper towel lined baking sheet and evenly sprinkle both sides with the kosher salt.
• Allow the salted eggplant to sit for about 20 minutes. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Meanwhile, for the sauce, combine the tomatoes and their juices with the butter, halved onion and Parmesan rind, if using, in a medium saucepan. Pick the basil leaves from the stems, add the stems to the tomatoes and set the leaves aside. Place a lid on the pan so that it is a little off kilter to allow steam out and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for at least 30 minutes, or even longer for a more intense tomato flavor.
• Pat the eggplant dry with some paper towel or a clean kitchen towel and remove from the baking sheet. Coat the bottom of the baking sheet with the olive oil and arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer. Flip the eggplant slices over to coat both sides in oil. Season with pepper and a bit more salt (don't worry, lots of the salt that you previously put on has been wiped away so the eggplant won't taste super salty). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown on both sides.
• Remove the eggplant from the oven and top each with a spoon of the tomato sauce and sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Return the eggplant to the oven and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
• To serve, spoon some sauce onto your plates and divide and stack the roasted eggplant parm on top. Tear up the fresh mozzarella and basil leaves, scatter on top and season with salt and pepper.