A rainy chilly day here could always use a little homemade sauce and eggplant what do you think? Going to put together some marinara sauce and some Eggplant Parmesan and show you how easy it is to put this meal together and you can use the sauce for other recipes as well. If anyone has any ideas that they might want to have a recipe for please feel free to email me or send me a message on Facebook.
*Ok let's get started first of all one of my tips for preparing eggplant is when you are grocery shopping and looking over the Eggplants I like using medium size ones don't always go for the biggest eggplants the medium size ones are easier to handle when slicing them before preparing.
*Another tip before you are ready to fry the eggplants I wash them slice them thin depending on how you like the thickness of your eggplant and then I soak them in cold water with some salt in a bowl or pan this takes the acidity out of them and it swells them up but gives them a nicer taste! Once they are soaked for a while maybe about an hour or so drain them and try to let them air dry or drape a paper towel over them to dry them.
Marinara Sauce
1 small onion chopped finely
1 1/2 head garlic or entire head depending on how much garlic flavor you like
Olive oil enough to cover bottom of pan
2 cans Crushed Tomatoes (Cento my favorites) Progresso,Hunts whichever you prefer
1 can Puree (Cento or whatever you prefer)
1 can tomato paste (Cento or whatever you prefer)
2 1/2 cans water
Salt (depending on if you can use it and how you like your sauce seasoned)
Pepper 1/2 tsp
Garlic powder 1 tsp
Chopped Parlsey or Parlsey Flakes 1 tsp
Basil 1 tsp
Onion powder 1 tsp
As far as spices if you want to taste and add more go ahead I usually do too!
Put your onion and garlic and olive oil in pan and on medium heat dont burn it but make sure the flavors are combining you will be able to tell by the wonderful aromra of garlic,onion and olive oil.
Pour in your cans of crushed tomatoes and then 2 cans of water let it cook for about 15 minutes low heat
Puree tomatoes goes in next with 1/2 can of water let that cook for another 10 minutes and your can of paste can go in after that.
If it seems still too thick you can always add more water
During summer months I grow parsley and basil sometimes I have extra to freeze at end of summer
I put my spices in once all the tomatoes and paste are in the pan and it simmers and cooks nicely all together
I usually let it cook for a few hours at least one hour
*I use this sauce for lots of things Fried Dough,pasta,stuffed peppers anything its a Marinara Sauce.
Eggplant
3 nice size eggplants
1 dz eggs
Flour
grated cheese 2 tablespoons
black pepper 1/2 tsp
parlsey 1/2 tsp
oil to fry them in
frying pan
Shredded Mozzarella for topping
So if you have sliced the eggplant and they are ready we are ready to start the process
Put some oil in your frying pan cover the bottom and 1/4 inch up heat up your oil dont keep on high takes a little playing around with the temp on the stove once the oil is heated up you will need to lower the oil and on and off again put some more oil in the pan it evaporates once you begin frying.
Sometimes you will have to stop halfway if you notice the oil getting dark then you will need to either change and use a new frying pan or get rid of oil be careful its very hot and start the process again.
Have a plate or cookie sheet with paper towel on it to lay the eggplant on once they are fried
Take eggplant one by one and put in flour and then in egg mixture and then in frying pan fry them till golden brown a few minutes on each side then drain on that cookie sheet or pan I told you about with paper towel let all excess oil come off of them.
I cook them all and by then your sauce is cooking also unless you made ahead of time I take a 13 x 9 pan or smaller if you prefer.
A few ladels of tomato sauce on bottom of pan and then start layering your eggplant in pan I put more sauce on the eggplant and then some grated cheese and parsley flakes on the last layer I add shredded mozzarella there it will melt nicely when you bake the eggplant and taste so yummy and delish!!
So every layer is eggplant slices sprinkles of grated cheese and parlsey flakes top layer has the mozzarella if you like the cheesey part you can add a little mozzarella to each layer too.
So now we are ready to bake the Eggplant Parmesan @ 350 until you see it bubbling I would say around 45 minutes or so every oven might be different so kind of use your judgement once you see it bubbling along sides it is pretty much done the eggplant is already cooked and sauce so you are basically heating it up and all the flavors are blending and your cheeses are melting also.
It's a wonderful meal you get some of your favorite bread or rolls some people like sandwhiches others serve it on a plate with pasta and you can use your marinara sauce for your pasta.
*You can also freeze the eggplant I suggest taking the slices and putting in freezer bags take it out whenever you want it better to freeze without any thing no sauce just plain fried eggplant.
*3 eggplants I used weren't so big medium size it made me a 13 x 9 pan and a 9" pie plate of eggplants so you can get an idea of what 3 make you.
If anyone tries this recipe let me know we love it here whenever I make it I give my parents a tray also and they bake it when it gets to them.
Buon Appetito Mangia!!
*smiles*
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