Grilled Eggplant Parmesan

I was craving the flavors of traditional Parmigiana di Melanzane (Eggplant Parmesan), but I wanted to make a lighter, more summery version. A huge tray of Parmigiana is one of my favorite things to cook, and it's definitely a comfort food that feeds a crowd or lasts as leftovers that get better and better each meal... but I needed to create more of a deconstructed dish that keeps the comfort and cuts out all the heaviness. 

Think of it like a petite Parmigiana, or mini Melanzane stacks- all the flavors, but none of the density. 

Grilling the eggplant was definitely the way to go. Frying is unnecessary, in my opinion, and I much prefer the flavor of roasted or grilled eggplant, no matter the dish. The grill imparts a delicious, almost caramelized flavor onto the vegetable, which tastes like summer. An indoor grill pan or griddle works just fine if you're like me and don't have an outdoor grill.

Enjoy!

Serves 2

Tools:

·      9x13 or larger baking dish

·      Smaller baking dish with high sides

·      Parchment paper

·      Mixing bowl

·      Grill, grill pan or griddle

·      Tongs or a large non-metal spatula

·      Sharp knife

·      Cutting board

Ingredients:

·      1 cup whole milk ricotta

·      ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese

·      ½ cup roughly chopped fresh mozzarella (or shredded if that’s what you have)

·      1 TBSP of chopped fresh basil

·      1 TBSP chopped white onion

·      Two medium eggplant

·      Three small tomatoes

·      Olive oil (mine’s from Costco)

·      Sprinkle of coarse salt and ground pepper

·      Pinch of red pepper flakes

Directions:

1)    Preheat oven to 350° F

2)    Start by chopping up the onion finely, and slicing the tomatoes about 1/3 inch thick. Drizzle olive oil along the bottom of the small baking dish, place the tomato slices across the bottom of the dish and sprinkle with the chopped onions and another drizzle of olive oil. Roast in the oven for about 10-12 minutes to soften. Set aside to cool.

3)    In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella and basil. Add red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste.

4)    Slice eggplant into about 1/3 inch disks, and generously brush both sides with olive oil. *

5)    Set grill pan over medium high heat, and drizzle grill with olive oil or other mild-flavored cooking oil – avocado oil, for example, is great and has a high smoke point. Grill eggplant slices, about 5 minutes on each side – they are done when you see a nice caramel/brown colored grill mark and the slice is soft and cooked through. If the eggplant looks dry after flipping, brush again with olive oil.

6)    Lower oven temperature to 300° F. Prepare baking dish by placing a piece of parchment paper along the bottom.

7)    Layer eggplant slices first, then the cooled tomato slice along with the onion, followed by a scoop of the ricotta mixture. Top with a second slice of grilled eggplant, and once they are all composed, drizzle all the little stacks with olive oil.

8)    Bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes to warm through and allow the mozzarella and parmesan to melt.

9)    Serve these eggplant stacks as the meal, alongside a simple green salad, or as a side dish.

10)  Buon appetito!

*If time allows, I like to slice the eggplant and sprinkle both sides with salt. Place salted slices in a strainer over paper towels and allow the moisture to drip out. Press down with clean paper towels and remove all moisture before cooking. Eggplants in the US are said to have been bred to remove the bitterness, so salting isn’t needed, but I prefer the texture and the way they cook up with the moisture removed.