Eggplant Parmesan

The trick to making eggplant taste great is to peel it, because the skin is often bitter.

It's also good to soak it in salt water to keep it from oxidizing. Just a few minutes will do the trick!
You can assemble this dish a day ahead and refrigerate until you're ready to bake.

Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
Tomato sauce, 26 oz
Parmesan or mozzarella cheese*
1 egg
1 Cup or more unseasoned bread crumbs (If you're Gluten- Free, make bread crumbs using your favorite GF bread.  White or brown rice flours also work well for coating.)
Several Tbls. olive oil

1. Peel the eggplant all around and cut into 1/2-inch slices.
2. Place in a bowl, cover with water and sprinkle about 1 tsp. salt all over. Let it sit in the water until ready to use.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, also heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
4. Dry the eggplant pieces in a paper towel, then dip in egg and coat with bread crumbs.
5. Brown eggplant on both sides.
6. Coat the bottom of a high sided baking dish with sauce.
7. Place the eggplant in a single layer over the sauce, place a slice of cheese on each eggplant, top each with a fresh basil leaf.
8. Continue layering, sauce, eggplant, cheese, basil.
9. Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 20-30 minutes.

Serve over your favorite pasta with fresh crusty bread and grated parmesan on top!  (If Gluten-Free, serve with rice or quinoa pasta and your favorite GF bread!)

Serves 4

* If you are dairy-free, the cheese can be left out without changing the flavor very much.