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02/15/2017 11:01 PMIt has been a long winter punctuated by a couple of visits to California and the march in Washington, D.C.
I have found that these quick visits that require long plane trips make me sick. Literally. A vicious head cold arrived from a flight from Kennedy to San Diego and the red eye back home in six days. The drive to D.C. and back, still nursing that cold, dropped me like a stone with a flu-like illness that ran almost three weeks. Yes, I got my flu shot in October. I really didn’t know there are other flu-like flus. Now I know there are.
In any case, it is over, pretty much. And it’s time for dinner parties.
I made lots of Bolognese and froze the sauce so there would be enough for the winter. One couple said that would be great, but did I know that he is a vegetarian? Those of us who are carnivores figure once you figure out the meat, everything else falls into place, so the dinner called for a change-up. What shall I make, I wonder? What is even better than Bolognese? Eggplant Parm, of course, with a big salad, garlic bread and, perhaps, a blueberry (or apple) pie. This recipe comes to me from my ex-neighbor, Kathy, who got it from the Fatone family. Evidently, Sam Gejdenson used to make the Fatone family recipe to great fanfare. It is beyond delicious.
Lee White of Old Lyme has been a food editor and restaurant reviewer for more than 25 years. You can email her at leeawhite@aol.com.
Eggplant Parmigiana
Ingredients
2 ½ pounds eggplant
2 cups all-purpose flour
6 to 7 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups finely ground regular breadcrumbs or Panko breadcrumbs
¼ to ½ pound thinly sliced provolone cheese
¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
4 cups or more marinara (use a very good jarred sauce or the recipe below)
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Slice the eggplant into rounds or ovals, using a very sharp knife, or using a Cuisinart with a slicing disk adjusted to 4 mm.
Put flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs into individual shallow containers. Dredge each slice first in flour, then in eggs, then in breadcrumbs. After dredging in each ingredient, tap the eggplant to remove any excess. Arrange eggplant in single layers on both sheets. Bake in oven for 20 minutes. (You can flip them halfway through, but I don’t.)
When the eggplant is done, take the pans from the oven and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. In two 13-inch by 9-inch pans, begin to layer the eggplant, beginning with a ladle of marinara, then eggplant, then provolone, followed by marinara, eggplant, and provolone until done. Top with a layer of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake until cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Easy and Delicious Marinara
This is my go-to recipe. If you use it with pasta, by the time your pasta water is boiling, the red sauce is ready.
Yield: enough for Eggplant Parm with some leftover to have with eggs the next morning.
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped fine
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 28-ounce cans excellent whole canned tomatoes (I use Muir Glen, available at BJs)*
Salt and pepper, to taste
Few shakes of red pepper flakes (optional)
Directions:
In a large skillet, warm olive oil over medium heat. Pour in onions and sauté until just translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in tomatoes and cook for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add red pepper flakes, if you like it a bit spicy.
*I now puree the tomatoes in my blender or food processor. If you like it chunkier, use a potato masher or your hands to the chunkiness you prefer.