Eggplant Parmesan Mozzarella Slider Food

EGGPLANT PARMESAN SLIDERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Place eggs and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Dip eggplant slices in eggs; coat with crumbs. In a large skillet, cook eggplant in oil in batches until golden brown on both sides; drain on paper towels., In a small bowl, mix ricotta, 1/3 cup Parmesan, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon parsley flakes, lemon zest and kosher salt. Spread over roll bottoms. Place in 2 greased 13x9-in. baking dishes. Top with eggplant, marinara and mozzarella. Replace roll tops. Brush with melted butter; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and 1 teaspoon parsley., Bake, uncovered, until golden brown and cheese is melted, 15-20 minutes. Serve with additional warmed marinara.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN SLIDERS

Steps:

• Slice the eggplants lengthwise into ½-inch thick slices, then use the cookie cutter to cut out two rounds from each of the slices.
• Place the eggplant rounds in a colander and toss them with 1½ teaspoons salt. Let them drain in the colander over a bowl in the sink for 45 minutes to remove excess moisture.
• Bread the eggplant rounds in batches by coating them in the flour, then the eggs and then the breadcrumbs.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add enough oil to liberally coat the bottom of the pan. Pan-fry the breaded eggplant rounds in batches for 2 to 3 minutes, flipping them once until both sides are golden brown. Remove the cooked eggplant rounds and immediately transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. Continue the pan-frying process, changing the oil as necessary, until all of the rounds are cooked.
• Halve the brioche slider rolls and add 1 tablespoon of tomato sauce to the bottoms of the rolls. Stack an eggplant round atop the sauce, top it with another tablespoon of sauce and a piece of sliced mozzarella. Repeat the assembling process with all of the buns, transferring them to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Turn your broiler to high and carefully slide the cookie sheet under the broiler just long enough until the cheese melts. Immediately cap off the sliders with the tops of the buns and serve.

EXTRA EXTRA LARGE EGGPLANT PARM SANDWICH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on it. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until the tomatoes have decreased in size and look slightly dry, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Grease a bundt pan with cooking spray.
• Arrange the dough in the prepared pan so the ends touch each other, then pinch the ends together so the dough makes one large ring. Using a knife, make a few slices in the top of the dough. Bake until the bread is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees F, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then remove the bread to a wire rack to cool completely.
• To set up the 3-step breading process, gather 3 medium shallow bowls or plates. In the first, add the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In the second, add the eggs and 2 tablespoons of water and whisk well. In the third, add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan and oregano and stir to combine.
• Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels. Dredge one round in the flour, shaking off any excess. Now, using your other hand (keeping one hand dry and one hand wet), dip into the egg mixture to coat completely. Finally, dredge in the breadcrumb mixture and coat completely. Set on a parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat the process with the remaining eggplant.
• Add 1/2 inch of vegetable oil to a 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet, set over medium-high heat and heat to 375 degrees F. In batches, fry the eggplant until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to dry.
• Slice the bread ring horizontally to build your giant sandwich. Layer on the mozzarella, pepperoni, eggplant, roasted red pepper, oven-roasted tomatoes and banana peppers. Carefully slice the sandwich into 8 pieces and enjoy! Or wrap in foil and bring to tailgate.

ONE SHEET CRISPY EGGPLANT PARM

Steps:

• Put a baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F. Position a wire rack over a second baking sheet and set aside.
• Mix the panko and Parmesan in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Season both sides of the eggplant with salt and pepper. Dip only one side of the eggplant slices first in the beaten egg, then in the breadcrumb mixture to coat. Transfer to the wire rack.
• Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Pour the oil directly onto the hot baking sheet. Working quickly, place the eggplant slices panko-side down onto the oiled baking sheet. Dollop sauce directly on the center of each eggplant slice, then top with a nice slice of mozzarella (drape it over the sides of the eggplant for legendary crispy bits). Put immediately back on the bottom rack of the oven and bake until the bottoms are golden brown and the tops are melted and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Garnish each eggplant medallion with a basil leaf. Serve immediately, either individually or in a giant stack.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN WITH FRESH BASIL AND SMOKED MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Line a plate with a paper towel; place a layer of 2 or 3 slices of eggplant onto the towel. Sprinkle eggplant with sea salt. Repeat layers of eggplant sprinkled with salt until all eggplant slices are stacked. Place 2 paper towels onto the stack and place a plate on top of the towels. Lay a heavy book or can of food onto the plate to squeeze out moisture. Allow to drip for 20 minutes to 2 hours. Rinse and pat dry.
• Beat eggs with milk in a shallow bowl. Place bread crumbs into a separate bowl. Dip eggplant slices in the egg mixture and gently press into the crumbs to coat; set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; fry eggplant slices in the hot oil in small batches until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
• Pour about 1/4 cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish and arrange a layer of eggplant slices to cover the sauce. Scatter basil and a few slices of smoked mozzarella cheese over eggplant; repeat layers, ending with a layer of sauce on top. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until heated through and the cheese has melted, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

NO-FRY SHEET-PAN EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Put 2 tablespoons olive oil and the garlic in a large skillet and place over medium heat. When the garlic sizzles and its edges start to brown, add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped basil.
• Heat an 18-by-13-inch sheet pan in the oven for at least 10 minutes while you bread the eggplant. Line up 3 shallow dishes; fill one with the flour, one with the beaten eggs, and one with the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle both sides of the eggplant slices with salt. Dredge an eggplant slice in the flour (tapping off excess), then dip in the egg, and finally dredge it in the breadcrumbs. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.
• When all the eggplant slices are breaded, carefully remove the heated sheet pan from the oven and brush it with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place the eggplant on the sheet pan in a single layer. Bake until the undersides are crisp and browned, 8 to 10 minutes, then flip the slices and continue baking until they are golden on the second side, 8 to 10 minutes more.
• Top the baked eggplant with the tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan. Return the pan to the oven and bake, rotating halfway through, until the cheese melts and browns and the sauce is bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Top with torn basil before serving.

MINI EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• For the sauce: Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium. Add the garlic, shallots and salt. Stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, basil, oregano and crushed red pepper. Simmer the sauce until the flavors blend and the sauce thickens, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Mix in the vinegar.
• For the eggplant: Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Place the panko breadcrumbs in another shallow bowl. Whisk the egg whites in a medium bowl until frothy. Dip each eggplant slice in the flour mixture, then into the beaten egg whites, and then into the panko breadcrumbs to coat completely.
• Heat the oil in a heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat until hot (the surface will appear to be shimmering), 2 to 3 minutes. Add half of the eggplant slices. Cook until deep golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer the eggplant to a paper-towel-lined plate. Fry the remaining eggplant. (Can be made 1 hour ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• Preheat a broiler. Toss the mozzarella and Parmesan in a small bowl until well blended. Spread 1 generous teaspoon of the sauce over each eggplant slice. Top with a rounded teaspoon of the cheese mixture; spread out to cover and press lightly to adhere. Transfer the eggplant slices to a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until the cheese has melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the mini eggplant parmesans to a platter and garnish each with small basil leaf. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes before serving.