Breaded Eggplant (Oven-Baked)

Roxygirl in Colorado's Note:

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated, this baked eggplant is superb, versatile, and lower-fat than the traditional fried. It's thrice-dipped: flour, eggs, and bread crumbs. I feel like I have a "gold mine" when I have a batch in the 'fridge! It makes great veggie sandwiches, eggplant Parmesan and a great filler for egg and pasta dishes.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 2 medium eggplants, peeled and cut crosswise (I cut 1/4-1/2 inch wide)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt (I use less about a teaspoon)
• 4 cups breadcrumbs (best from dense white bread, French bread, preferably NOT the kind from the can)
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil (I've used olive, too)

Directions:

1. Start by draining the eggplant: layer sliced eggplant with gentle sprinkle of salt in a colander and place a plate or lid on top). The eggplant will leak out about 2 tbs. of moisture (about a half hour-sometimes I just do set it about 15 minutes and that seems to work, too).
2. I lightly wipe excess salt off with damp paper towel.
3. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare cookie sheet/jelly roll pan with half the oil and heat in oven while dipping/breading the eggplant.
4. Mix together flour and pepper and put in large Zip-lock bag.
5. Mix Parmesan and bread crumbs and put in pie plate.
6. Dipping process:.
7. Place about 10 slices at a time in flour and shake to coat lightly.
8. Dip eggplant in beaten egg (I use a cereal bowl to dip).
9. Dredge in bread crumb mixture.
10. Line, without overlapping, eggplant onto cookie sheet.
11. Bake for about 10-15 minutes until bottoms are lightly browned, and flip and finish cooking the other side.
12. Repeat with remaining eggplant.
13. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Reviews

[michelle_sandiego]

Wow, great crunchy & crispy coating without all the frying. Thanks!

[Ladfam]

Great recipe!!! Thanks for sharing!

[Allison 333]

This was amazing- It makes the best eggplant parm ever! Traditional frying not only causes a huge mess in the kitchen, but the eggplants soak up so much oil and end up soggy. With this recipe, the eggplant were crisp and delicious. I layered it with some leftover sauce we had in the freezer and low fat mozzarella and parm cheese. I cooked mine 10 min on the first side, an sprtized each slice with non stick spray before flipping them and cooking 10 min more. They came out nice and crispy, but not burnt. I did also slice them a little thinner than what was recommended. Making them more crisp led to the eggplant parm being more firm than when you fry. Thanks so much for the fabulous calorie saver!