Baked Eggplant
I bought an eggplant once and I think I tried to make a dip out of it. Honestly, I don’t remember anything other than baking the eggplant whole, with the skin on, and then peeling the skin off a hot eggplant. I don’t remember what I tried to make, only that I’ve never bought another eggplant.
But then Misfits Market sent me two eggplants in my Madness box. I found this recipe and I made a few changes. I cooked both eggplants but I think next time I’d only cook one at a time.
Preparing Your Eggplant
You wash your eggplant and then cut it into 1/2” discs, like the original recipe intends. I did this, but next time I’ll cut them a smidge thinner. Next, sprinkle salt on the cut eggplant and let it sit for 30 minutes or so. The originally recipe doesn’t include this, but I read it in the comments and it seemed to work – get a tea towel or paper towels and wipe off the liquid that the salt has sweated out of the eggplant. I actually squeezed each disc to get as much moisture out as possible.
Baked Eggplant
Equipment
- oven
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant
- 6 tbsp butter melted
- 1 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs or gluten-free panko
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp italian seasoning I used a bit more than this
Instructions
- Prepare the eggplant, as described above. Salt eggplant and let sit at least 30 minutes. Then wipe off excess water from eggplant discs.
- Melt butter in one bowl. Prepare breadcrumb mixture in a separate bowl. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Dip each discs in butter and then in breadcrumb mixture. Use one hand for wet bowl and the other hand for dry bowl to avoid getting your hands all gummy. Place coated eggplant discs on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 17 minutes. Remove from oven and flip discs. Bake for 7 additional minutes to get both sides crispy.
- Eat! I ate them as is, but you could use them as a vessel for dips or in eggplant Parmesan.
I liked this a lot and was sad when I was through eating it. Like I said, I baked both eggplants, doubling the recipe. I did one eggplant with Parmesan in the breading and one without. I don’t eat cheese and I didn’t figure my kids would eat the leftovers.
I hope Misfits sends me more eggplants next week!
