Meatless Monday: Eggplant Parmesan

It's Meatless Monday, and Labor Day 2015, an annual federal holiday to celebrate the economic contributions of American workers to the strength, prosperity and well-being of the United States. The day usually marks the end of the summer vacation season and the beginning of back-to-school days.

Other countries, as well, celebrate their labor workers, some on different days and with different names. Many Italians commemorate labor day on May 1 each year.

Go Meatless Monday is recognized by cities and countries all around the world. It's a day people unite around food.

Eggplant Parmesan, parmigiana di melanzane in Italian, is one of the classic preparations of southern Italy. It's a no-meat casserole that makes a delicious dinner statement with plenty of easy to prepare leftovers.

Eggplant is a squash. It's widely used in cooking, and is a key ingredient in recipes like this one, as well as moussaka and ratatouille. It's in the family of both the tomato and potato.

The raw fruit has a somewhat bitter taste, becomes tender when cooked, and develops a rich, complex flavor. Rinse and drain the sliced fruit (known as "degorging") to soften, reduce the amount of fat absorbed during cooking, and remove any bitterness.

The eggplant in this recipe is dredged in panko. Panko is made with whole-wheat panko. Panko is a variety of flaky bread crumb used in Japanese cuisine as a crunchy coating for fried foods.

Panko is made from bread baked by passing electric current through, dough yielding bread without crust. It has crisper, airier texture, and resists absorbing oil or grease when fried, resulting in a lighter coating.

Serve this main meal entree with a leafy green salad with vinaigrette dressing, garlic bread, and chilled glass of white Zinfandel wine or a medium-bodied, cherry-rich red Barbera d'Alba.

Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant:
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon water
2 cups whole-wheat panko
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 (1-pound) eggplants, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
Cooking spray

Filling:
1/2 cup torn fresh basil
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (16-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Remaining ingredients:
1 (24-ounce) jar premium pasta sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces thinly sliced mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup (3 ounces) finely grated fontina cheese

Preheat oven to 375°. To make eggplant, combine 2 eggs and 1 tablespoon water in a shallow dish. Combine panko and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano in a second shallow dish. Dip eggplant in egg mixture; dredge in panko mixture, pressing gently to adhere and shaking off excess. Place eggplant 1 inch apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until golden, turning once and rotating baking sheets after 15 minutes.

To make filling, combine basil and next 6 ingredients (through egg).

Assemble: Spoon 1/2 cup pasta sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer half of eggplant slices over pasta sauce. Sprinkle eggplant with 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Top with about 3/4 cup pasta sauce; spread half of ricotta mixture over sauce, and top with a third of mozzarella and 1/4 cup fontina. Repeat layers once, ending with about 1 cup pasta sauce. Cover tightly with aluminum foil coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes.

Remove foil; top with remaining third of mozzarella and 1/4 cup fontina. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese melts; cool 10 minutes.

Nutritional Information (amount per serving)
Calories 310; Carbohydrates 26.8g; Cholesterol 99mg; Fiber 4.8g; Sodium 655mg; Fat 15.1g; Protein 19.3g

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, about half your calories should come from carbohydrates, typically about 250 grams (g). For example, a person who eats approximately 2,000 calories per day should take in about 250 grams of carbohydrates (2,000 divided by half equals 1,000 -- and 1,000 calories divided by 4 grams = 250 grams). A teaspoon of sugar is 4 grams.

Carbs and diabetes: People with diabetes must always focus on carbohydrates. Depending on individual health challenges, reliable sources indicate that most people with diabetes should not consume more than about 130 grams of carbohydrate each day.

Source: My Recipes, Wikipedia Eggplant, Clifford A Wright, Timeline Date

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