What Did I Make From My Garden This Time???

Eggplant of course!

This is my version of eggplant parmesan...

 You will need eggplant, as large as you like to make the amount that will be sufficient for your family needs. My eggplant are small at this point, but two were enough for the dinner I made.

> slice the eggplant very thin, I used a mandolin to get thin, thin slices.

>season with simple salt and pepper and fry quickly in olive oil to fully soften the eggplant slices. Even garden fresh eggplant does not soften easily when submerged in sauce and cheese, so therefore it really is necessary to cook the eggplant before baking. (You could grill the eggplant, but you would still need the olive oil on it for the grilling process) It also makes the process of rolling a breeze.

 

>I lined my baking dish with fresh tomatoes from the garden, sliced and seasoned with salt, pepper and oregano (you can use dry if it is what you have)

 >Next I mixed my filling: 1 tub whole milk ricotta, one egg, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan season with salt, pepper, fresh basil and a pinch of oregano.
>Mix well.

 >Put a generous amount of the filling on each of the slices of eggplant and roll.

 >Line up the rolls on top of the seasoned tomatoes.

 >Cover with home made marinara sauce or your favorite jarred sauce and sprinkle with a bit more mozzarella and parmesan.
>Bake at 350* for approximately 25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown.

Why did I come up with this recipe?
Because it is a pasta free, gooey baked Italian dinner for my hubby who has to count his carbs due to type two diabetes.
And he LOVES it!