Melanzane in Carrozza alla Calabrese (Calabrian Style Eggplant Mozzarella "Sandwiches")

By á-18

A wonderful southern Italian dish. Slices of eggplant are sandwiched together with cheese in the middle and baked to a golder crisp. These are traditionally fried in olive oil, this is a healthier version where they are slowly baked in the oven, so the cheese doesn't ooze out. Whenever I make this, it brings back fond memories from my childhood.

Ingredients

• Vegetable:
• 1 large eggplant (about 1 lb or 450-500 g)
• salt to taste
• Egg Mixture:
• 3 eggs, well beaten (I used medium)
• 2 tbsp parmesan or grana padano
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder, or to taste
• 1 tbsp fresh, frozen or dried parsley (finely chopped if using fresh or frozen)
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• Breading:
• 3 tbsp flour
• 3/4-1 cup bread crumbs (can use Italian if you wish)
• Filling:
• 1-2 low fat bocconcini (fresh mozzarella balls), sliced (you can also use regular mozzarella or gouda)
• Sunflower oil for brushing (you can use olive oil but sunflower oil gives the breading a nice, light, crispy texture)

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from cookingwithrosie.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Slice eggplants into 1/4-inch or 0.5 cm slices, arrange them in an orderly fashion as they were cut on a baking sheet (this will help with pairing them up into sandwiches), and generously season with salt. Let stand 30-60 minutes so it sweats to release the bitterness from the eggplant. Pat dry with a clean cloth.

2. Mix all the seasonings into the beaten eggs and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Slice the bocconcini into 1/4-inch or 0.5 cm slices. Set aside.

4. Preheat oven to 325 deg F or 170 deg C and arrange your work station as follows: flour, egg mixture, and bread crumbs. Place a baking sheet lined with baking paper at the end to put the finished eggplant sandwich.

5. Add a slice of cheese to every 2nd eggplant, but make sure that the appropriate size is used (eg. small piece of cheese to small slice of eggplant, etc).

6. Tightly squeeze the sandwich between your hands. Repeat for remainer sandwiches.

7. Place eggplant sandwiches on half of a clean dish towel, fold the towel over, and press onto each sandwich to remove excess liquid from the eggplant (see photo below).

8. First dip the sandwich in flour, then flip a few times in the egg mixture, and finally in the bread crumbs. Repeat for remainder sandwiches and arrange on lined baking sheeting.

NOTE: Your fingers will get clumpy from the breading. Simply rub it off into the bread crumbs and it will give the coating a much crispier taste.

8. Lightly brush, drizzle or spray sunflower oil onto each side of the eggplant sandwich.

9. Bake for 20 minutes on the middle rack, flip the sandwiches over (the bottoms might be a little soggy), and then bake them on the top rack for 10-15 minutes more.

10. Cool to warm or room temperature and serve either as a side dish or as an appetizer (cut into triangles and inserted with toothpicks) with marinara sauce.