Craving warm, ooey-gooey, cheesy comfort food? In this classic Italian dish, panko bread crumbs add a crisp shell to the eggplant that replaces frying. Consider making two and freezing one for later.
Makes 4 servings / Prep time: 15 minutes / Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 large whole egg
- 1 large egg white
- 1½ cups panko bread crumbs
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large eggplant, sliced crosswise into ¼-inch, round slices (you need at least 12 slices)
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 2 cups chopped baby spinach, divided
- ¾ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- ⅓ cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, divided
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉.
- Grease a large baking sheet with the oil.
- Whisk the whole egg with the egg white in a shallow bowl until frothy.
- In a separate bowl, combine the bread crumbs, oregano, and salt and stir to combine.
- Dip both sides of each eggplant in the egg wash, then coat with the bread crumbs and place on the baking sheet.
- Bake the eggplant until each slice is soft and the bread crumbs have begun to brown, flipping once halfway through, about 20 minutes.
- When the eggplant has finished cooking, turn the oven up to 400℉.
- Spread one-third of the marinara on the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch or 11 x 7-inch baking dish. Add a layer of 6 baked eggplant rounds.
- Top with another one-third of the sauce, half the spinach, half the mozzarella, half the Parmesan, and half the basil.
- Repeat with the next layer of eggplant, the remaining sauce, the remaining spinach, and the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Finish by sprinkling with the remaining basil. Bake until the cheeses begin to brown and bubble, about 20 minutes.
Per serving: 356 calories, 19 g protein, 38 g carbohydrates, 8 g fiber, 10 g total sugar, 15 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 752 mg sodium, 533 mg potassium (11% DV), 395 mg calcium (40% DV), 51 mg magnesium (13% DV), 0.9 mcg B12 (37% DV), 0.256 mg B6 (20% DV), 2.5 mg iron (14% DV)
About the book:
Healthy, Happy Pregnancy Cookbook is the perfect guide for pregnant women. Full of humor, heart, and wisdom, it promotes clean eating and the idea that using food as medicine is the best remedy for dealing with the symptoms that occur most during pregnancy—such as swollen ankles, bloating, and more.
From HEALTHY, HAPPY PREGNANCY COOKBOOK. Copyright © 2016 by Stephanie Clarke and Willow Jarosh. Reprinted with permission of Atria Books, a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
