This One Goes Out To You, Veggies

When I was a kid, I never had a problem with eating vegetables, and then I tried string beans from the school cafeteria...

I would compare the taste of said string beans to what I imagine it would taste like to eat rubber bands coated in nail polish remover. They smelled like medical instruments. My reaction pretty much went something like this:

After this experience, I came to the realization that not everyone knows how to cook vegetables the right way. Now I have made it a mission to prove to the world (and children like the above) that veggies can taste delicious! So dad sent me this recipe for eggplant parm. I don't even like eggplant and I LOVED this dish. So veggie haters, give it a try anyways; I can promise you'll be pleasantly surprised.

What you'll need:
-2 medium sized eggplants (the large ones tend to get very bitter)
-8 oz. of fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
-1/4 cup of grated parmesan reggiano
-Homemade marinara (see below)

Begin by thinly slicing the eggplant into 1/8" slices; thin slices is going to be the key to this recipe. Lay out the slices on a paper towel and sprinkle salt on them. Once you have salted all slices, let the eggplant sit for about 30 mins or more to release their moisture.

While you're waiting on your eggplant, you can get started on the homemade marinara sauce:

What you'll need:
-1 16 oz. can of Muir Glen whole plum tomatoes
-1/2 chopped onion
-3 cloves of crushed garlic
-1 teaspoon of raw sugar
-1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
-1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
-1/2 a beef buillon cube

Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until it's translucent. Cut the plum tomatoes up before putting them into the pan. Add the liquid from the container. Then, add all the other ingredients and stir. Cover the mixture and cook for about 20 mins on a low temperature, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and finish crushing the tomatoes with an immersion blender if you own one. I just used a fork...I'm not advanced enough for an immersion blender yet. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper and your marinara should be set! The homemade marinara is so worth it-I was licking my plate clean to say the least.

The onions should probably be cut smaller than this, but it still tasted awesome!

By now your eggplant should be ready. You will be able to see the droplets of moisture on top of each slice like the following:

Begin heating a frying pan on medium heat with canola oil glazing the bottom, about 1/4". Canola oil is preferred, but olive oil will work as well. Place your slices of eggplant onto the pan and fry until they are golden brown. 

Pancakes?

You'll want to have a plate with a couple paper towels on it ready so you can transfer the slices once you are done. The paper towels will absorb the excess oil.

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Once you have fried all your slices, you'll be ready to prepare your dish. Spread 3 tablespoons of sauce on the bottom of the pan. 

Yes, it's really only that much.

Start layering the eggplant, followed by the cheese. The order should be: eggplant, mozarella, parmesan reggiano, repeat. Continue this process until you have used up all the eggplant, and be generous with the cheese for the last layer!

Bake this dish for 15 mins, and finish under the broiler for a couple mins to lightly brown the cheese. In Italian, this dish is called melanzane parmeggiano. My dad and I were lucky enough to try this dish first hand prepared by my Sicilian Aunt Teresa in Sciacca, Sicily. While you're waiting for your dish to bake, here's a little history from dad:

"Sicily is a country that was invaded by countless cultures over 10,000 years and with each inhabitant was left a piece of culture that influenced the foods they eat today. Most of the island is used for farming and citrus fruits top the list of fresh produce. Olive trees and grape vines also dot the landscape as well as cattle, sheep and poultry farms. We visited a friend's farm and I was overwhelmed by the size of the broccoli heads growing in their fields. The tempered climate and fertile soil help to produce these larger than life fruits and vegetables that have only heightened the taste rather than diminished. My Aunt and Uncle made several dishes each day so that we could experience the taste of their local cuisines during our short 4 day stay. One of the dishes we were treated to was the eggplant parmesan, similar to our traditional parmesan only by name. The dish used very thinly sliced, fried eggplant with fresh mozzarella and parmesan cheese dotted with fresh marinara. The sweetness of the eggplant and the creaminess of the fresh mozzarella is what makes this dish so delicious."

View from Sciacca

Once you have finished, you can add the rest of the sauce to the top and serve fresh with a salad or other appetizing side!

OMGEEZZZ...this picture does zero justice to how good this actually turned out.

Buon appetito!