Crispy slices of baked eggplant smothered in marinara sauce, basil and goat cheese.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Total Time50 minutesmins
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked eggplant with goat cheese
Servings: 4servings
Author: Pat Nyswonger
Ingredients
1eggplant1 to 1½ pounds*
1tablespoonkosher salt
1½cupspanko bread crumbstoasted
4 to 6garlic cloves minced
4tablespoonsbutter
1egg white
1large egg
1cupmarinara pasta sauce
½cupchopped fresh basil
4ouncesgoat cheesecrumbled and softened
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400*.
Spray a baking sheet with a non-stick spray or brush with oil for the eggplant slices.
Wash the eggplant and slice it into thick, 1-inch slices. You should have 4 to 6 nice slices. Optional step: With a sharp paring knife, remove the peel from each slice. The skin is edible but it can be tough in larger, more mature eggplants.
Sprinkle the eggplant slices with the salt on both sides and place them in a colander or on a plate. This will draw away the excess water and remove any bitterness from the eggplant. Let the eggplant slices sit in the salt for 30 minutes.
While the eggplant is draining add the butter and garlic to a small skillet and cook over medium heat until the garlic is fragrant. Add the bread crumbs to the skillet and stir to coat them in the butter. Continue to cook, stirring frequently until the Panko crumbs become golden brown (about 4 to 5 minutes). Transfer the breadcrumbs to a plate.
Rinse the eggplant slices under cold water to remove the salt. Wipe each slice dry with a paper towel and set on a plate.
In a shallow dish or pie plate, mix the egg white, whole egg, and salt. Set aside
Arrange the plate with the eggplant slices, the plates of eggs, and bread crumbs for assembly.
To assemble:
Dip one eggplant slice into the eggs and then the bread crumbs, pressing down so the crumbs adhere. Place on the baking sheet, repeat with the remaining slices.
Transfer the baking sheet to the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until slightly soft.
Remove from the oven and flip each slice over. Top each slice with basil and marinara sauce. Finally, add a slice of the softened goat cheese to each eggplant slice.
Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. If you want to brown the tops further, turn the oven temp to broil for the last 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately
Notes
If you have extremely soft goat cheese, you can place it in a piping bag and pipe it on top of the eggplant.