Extra Extra Large Eggplant Parm Sandwich Food

EGGPLANT PARM SANDWICH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Have two racks set up in the oven.
• Place 3/4 of the tomatoes and 2 garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Roast until the tomatoes burst and start to caramelize, about 30 minutes. Peel the roasted garlic and puree with the tomatoes, crushed red pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor to make the sauce.
• Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Peel the eggplant top-to-bottom in alternating strips, so that some of the skin is left on, and slice into 1/3 inch rounds. Dip only one side of each round into the egg white and then into the crushed melba toast. Lay out on the sheet tray, crumb-side up. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spray with more cooking spray. Bake until just tender, about 25 minutes.
• Dice the remaining 1/4 of tomatoes, and toss with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, red wine vinegar, basil leaves and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Preheat the broiler. Place the toasted ciabatta halves on a baking sheet cut-side up. Cut the remaining garlic clove in half and rub on the bread. Spoon 2 tablespoons of sauce on top of each ciabatta half, then top with 3 or 4 overlapping slices of eggplant, 2 more tablespoons sauce, shredded mozzarella, and grated parmesan. Broil until the cheese melts and starts to bubble, about 3 minutes. Top each open-faced sandwich with the fresh tomato and basil salad.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Have two racks set up in the oven.
• Place 3/4 of the tomatoes and 2 garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Roast until the tomatoes burst and start to caramelize, about 30 minutes. Peel the roasted garlic and puree with the tomatoes, crushed red pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor to make the sauce.
• Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Peel the eggplant top-to-bottom in alternating strips, so that some of the skin is left on, and slice into 1/3 inch rounds. Dip only one side of each round into the egg white and then into the crushed melba toast. Lay out on the sheet tray, crumb-side up. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spray with more cooking spray. Bake until just tender, about 25 minutes.
• Dice the remaining 1/4 of tomatoes, and toss with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil, red wine vinegar, basil leaves and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Preheat the broiler. Place the toasted ciabatta halves on a baking sheet cut-side up. Cut the remaining garlic clove in half and rub on the bread. Spoon 2 tablespoons of sauce on top of each ciabatta half, then top with 3 or 4 overlapping slices of eggplant, 2 more tablespoons sauce, shredded mozzarella, and grated parmesan. Broil until the cheese melts and starts to bubble, about 3 minutes. Top each open-faced sandwich with the fresh tomato and basil salad.

EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA SANDWICH

Steps:

• Slice the eggplant crosswise about 1/4 to 3/8-inch thick - make slices as consistent as possible. If the base of the eggplant is very large, cut it in half lengthwise. Soak the sliced eggplant in a large bowl of warm, salted water for 1 to 2 hours. Make sure the eggplant is completely submerged in the salt water.
• Scramble the 3 eggs with salt and pepper to make an egg wash. Remove eggplant slices from the salt bath, shake off excess moisture, and dip into egg wash. Then dip the eggplant slices, 1 at a time, into a flat plate filled with seasoned bread crumbs, covering all surfaces, and set aside. Continue breading the eggplant until all slices are done. Discard excess egg wash and bread crumbs.
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan and allow it to heat up. (Add more oil as necessary during cooking.)
• Add the breaded eggplant slices to the pan, cover and cook until you begin to see the eggplant become translucent, about 5 minutes. If it begins to burn, lower heat and allow it to cook slowly. Using a large spatula, turn eggplant onto the other side and cook 1 to 2 more minutes with the lid on until eggplant is completely tender.
• When eggplant is completely cooked, remove from frying pan and place onto paper towels to blot any excess oil.
• Place 2 or 3 eggplant slices onto warmed Italian roll, top with shredded mozzarella cheese, then warm marinara sauce. Enjoy!

EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• For the tomato sauce: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and season with salt and red pepper flakes. Cook until the onions become translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sugar and the canned tomatoes. Use a wooden spoon to break up some of the whole tomatoes and cook 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring from time to time. Taste for seasoning, the tomatoes should be fairly broken down and the flavors coming together. Cook for another few minutes if the tomatoes still taste like they need a little more time to break down. Set aside to cool.
• For the eggplant (this step is optional, leave it out if you have limited time): Arrange the eggplant rounds in a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt on both sides of each slice and allow it to sit for about 1 hour. Salting it draws out the liquid and bitter flavor. After an hour, rinse with cold water and dry them thoroughly with a kitchen towel.
• Put the flour in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk and season with salt and pepper. In a third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the oregano and fresh thyme leaves and season with salt and pepper. Dip each eggplant slice in the flour and shake off any excess. Then, dip in the egg mixture, and finally in the breadcrumbs. Make sure to coat both sides of each slice of eggplant. Arrange them in single layers on the baking sheets.
• In a large skillet, pour enough oil to accumulate about 1/2-inch in the bottom. Heat the oil until it begins to smoke lightly (alternatively, test with a thermometer and wait until the oil registers between 380 degrees F and 400 degrees F). Use a pair of kitchen tongs to add a single layer of the eggplant to the pan. Cook them until they are golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the oil and transfer to a baking sheet fitted with a kitchen towel so the eggplant can drain as the others cook. Season lightly with salt. Take care to reheat the oil back up to temperature before adding another batch of slices to the pan.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• To assemble: In a 9 by 13-inch flameproof baking dish, spoon about 1/4 of the tomato sauce on the bottom. Top with a layer of the fried eggplant; the eggplant slices can overlap slightly. Top with about 1/3 of the mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with about 1/4 of the Parmesan and provolone cheeses. Top with a layer of torn basil leaves. Spoon sauce and repeat the layering 2 more times to make 3 layers. End with the remaining mozzarella. Carefully press the layers down firmly into the dish once assembled. Place the dish in the top part of the oven and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. For extra browning, put the dish under the broiler for a minute or two just before serving to get an extra brown cheesy top. I always nibble on a bit of that before sharing it with my friends!