baked eggplant Parmesan

Confession: I can’t spell Parmesan.

I tried, but spell check kept informing me otherwise. That can be frustrating at times. There are other odd words I never get right:

unfortunately

particular

restaurant

again

explanation

(of course, I spell checked those so you’d know what words I meant)

I made this baked eggplant Parmesan pie last week. It’s in a pie plate, so I call it a pie, but it not served in slices like a pie, so I’m not sure if it’s “legal” to call something a pie when it’s not sliced…. I wonder if they teach that in culinary school?

In my home, I don’t make eggplant too often. It’s one of my favorites, but nobody else. I’m hoping my daughter will grow to like it. She wouldn’t have her birthday if it wasn’t for eggplant, you know.

There is an urban legend about eating eggplant and going into labor, I’m sure you can Google it and read about it. Well, when I was 38 weeks pregnant (mind you, in AUGUST in SOUTH FLORIDA) I felt like I had a bun in the oven and my oven was set to 500 degrees. I was ready. I walked 2 miles a day, I drove over every speed bump I could…. all the things that old ladies in supermarkets tell moms to be about getting that baby moving. There was one last option I had not tried yet.

Eggplant.

So, one Wednesday night my hubby and I went on one last date as a couple.

5 hours later my water broke.

Of course, he asked me if I was sure, and if I didn’t just pee the bed.

I just said “the eggplant worked”. Of course it was another 17 hours of labor after that. I just said it worked, but didn’t make my labor quicker. I am sure, however- if they would have allowed me to eat more than ice chips I would have been more productive. Just a thought. A big bowl of ice cream and I would have been all good.

Back to eggplant, another tip I got from an old lady in a grocery store was to peel and slice the eggplant, and sprinkle it with salt to “draw out the bitterness” I’m not sure if that’s something everyone knows, but I figured I share it just in case you don’t chat with old ladies in grocery stores. I always do. I think it’s because I miss my grandmother.

When I’m an old lady, I’m going to go to the grocery store and tell pregnant ladies to eat eggplant to induce labor and to add salt to take away the bitterness. Although, by that time, I’m sure that will be against the law. Humpt.

So, this is my eggplant. A lot of seeds isn’t good. I’m not sure if this was a “good” eggplant or “bad” – it tasted fine to me though.

Another old lady grocery store tip: Pick an eggplant that feels light for it’s size. It’s supposed to have less seeds.

I made this by slicing the eggplant, breading it, baking it in the oven, and then placing it in a pie dish and adorning it with Ricotta cheese and Mozzarella.

Topping it with some homemade tomato sauce = the icing on the cake!

Print Pin

baked eggplant Parmesan

Course main dish

Cuisine Italian

Author Michelle Keith/ The Village Cook

Ingredients

1 large eggplant peeled and sliced into 1/3" thick slices
2 eggs
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
olive oil
1 cup Ricotta cheese
2 tbs Parmesan cheese
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese
1 cup pasta sauce of your choice

Instructions

Place the sliced eggplant on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.
Set aside for ten minutes to dreaw out the bitterness
Dip each slice into 1 beaten egg, and then dredge in bread crumbs.
Place slices on a cookie sheet that has been drizzled with olive oil
Drizzle olive oil on top of slices, and bake in a preheated oven (350) for 15 minutes, turning once halfway through.
Arrange slices on the bottom of a casserole or pie pan, that has 1/2 cup of pasta sauce on the bottom.
Top each slice with a mixture of ricotta, egg, Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese.
Top with mozzarella and bake for 25 minutes.