The Lazy-Girl Way to Make Eggplant Parmesan
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I absolutely love eggplant parmesan. The combination of soft eggplant tucked inside a crisp coating then topped with melted cheeses is simply so good. But doing all that slicing and frying is a bit time consuming when you'd rather be eating the finished deliciousness. Make it easy and slice an eggplant in half for a quick version of the dish that's still crazy good.
Slightly scooping out the insides of the eggplant creates a lovely resting place for your homemade sauce. Yes, that's right — a simmered sauce that only takes 20 minutes to make.
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After a bit of time in the oven, layer on the cheeses and finish under the broiler for a dinner that's finished in under an hour. You can't beat that.
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Scoop it up and serve alongside a fresh salad or over pasta. Or just eat straight out of the casserole — it's completely acceptable.
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Whole Baked Eggplant Parmesan
From POPSUGAR Food, Sarah Lipoff
INGREDIENTS
- 1 medium eggplant
- Salt
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 12-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs, divided
- 1/2 cup Kraft Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- 1/2 cup Kraft Shredded Parmesan Cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped basil
INSTRUCTIONS
Slice the eggplant in half and salt each side. Let set for at least 20 minutes or up to an hour.
Place the Italian sausage in a sauté pan and brown while breaking up the lumps. Once the meat begins to color, add the garlic.
Slowly add the crushed tomatoes to the sausage and simmer for 20 minutes. Use the back of a spoon or potato masher to break up the tomatoes and any remaining large chunks of sausage.
Preheat your oven to 400ºF.
Rinse the eggplant and then use a melon baller or spoon to lightly scoop out the inside of the eggplant and discard. Place the eggplant in a casserole dish and dust with half of the bread crumbs.
Divide the sauce between the two sides of the eggplant and then place in the oven. Bake for 40 minutes or until the eggplant is fork tender.
Remove the eggplant and top with the cheeses and remaining bread crumbs. Place under the broiler until the cheese starts to bubble.
Sprinkle with basil and serve.