Eggplant parmesan stacks
By Tali Simon | May 13, 2012
This recipe started as a classic eggplant parmesan. We had it on Pesach, actually, and brought it to a potluck-ish meal with friends. It was delicious and went over well at the table, but I wasn’t quite satisfied.
When you layer up sauce, eggplant, cheese, and potentially other vegetables (I had used mushrooms and fresh herbs), there just isn’t room for more than two layers. I wanted less sauce, more eggplant, and more of that creamy cheese.
And that’s how I got to making eggplant parmesan stacks.
Although this is not intended as a Pesach recipe, I suggest using matzah meal to bread your eggplant slices. It’s got more depth than regular flour and it gives the eggplant a great outer crust.
So you slice, dip in beaten eggs, then dip in matzah meal.
And then fry. You don’t need tons of oil — this isn’t deep-frying — but make sure the bottom of the pan is coated. You’ll go from this…
To this!
Ignore my dirty stove top. Yes, I should really have cleaned it if I was going to be taking pictures. But this is real life. I didn’t feel like cleaning my stove top.
Anyway. Set aside the eggplant to cool on a paper towel-lined plate and prepare the other ingredients.
Layer them up, sprinkle some extra cheese on top, and pop it in the oven to heat thoroughly.
These would make a fun appetizer for Shavuos, by the way.
Note: This is more of a method than an exact recipe, because the amounts you need depend on the size of your eggplants, how you slice them, and how much sauce and cottage cheese you like in the dish. I made eight eggplant stacks of various sizes from about an eggplant and a half. Ingredients 1. Wash the eggplant, cut off and discard the ends, and slice evenly. This is not an exact science, but having even slices means they will cook at about the same rate. 2. Prepare two dipping stations, one for eggs and one for matzah meal. Plates with slightly raised edges work well. Beat the eggs and pour them onto the first plate. Spread matzah meal over the second plate and mix in a bit of thyme. 3. Dip eggplant slices in the egg (both sides), then transfer to the second plate and dip each side again to coat in matzah meal. 4. Preheat oven to 350 F/180 C. 5. Heat canola oil in a non-stick skillet, starting with about 1/8 cup and adding as needed between batches. If a water droplet sizzles when flicked into the pan, your oil is hot enough. Gently place eggplant slices in the pan and cook over medium heat, until browned on both sides. 6. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil and let cool until safe to handle. 7. Cover the bottom of a baking dish (I used a 9×13 Pyrex) with a light layer of tomato sauce. Layer eggplant, sauce, and cottage cheese three times (or as you like). Top with cheese such as mozzarella or parmesan. Bake 15-20 minutes, just until dish is heated throughout and cheese topping melts. Serve hot. Update 5/17/12: If you’ll be serving this on yom tov, skip the baking. You’ll keep the cottage cheese creamy if the only extra heat you give this dish is when you reheat it for your meal.
7 Comments
Sue Goldian on May 13, 2012 at 5:45 pm.
If you don’t have any matzoh meal left over from Pesach waiting get used up before its sell-by date you could probably get the same effect with bread crumbs.
Tali Simon on May 13, 2012 at 6:23 pm.
Good tip, thanks!
Pnina on May 14, 2012 at 11:03 am.
wow- min hashamayim! i was thinking of making this tonight!
Malka on May 14, 2012 at 8:21 pm.
tali you are brilliant! this looks great!
Malka on May 24, 2012 at 8:40 pm.
I made this for yuntif – how long do you think I should warm this up for on Sunday? (I use a plata.)
Tali Simon on May 24, 2012 at 8:44 pm.
Hard to say — I feel like every plata is different (and often temperamental). I would put it on for an hour (maybe a bit less) and probably cover it with a piece of foil that has a few holes poked through so the steam doesn’t drip back down and make them soggy.
Malka on May 24, 2012 at 9:00 pm.
thanks!