Eggplant Parmesan

I bought an eggplant, but then didn't know what to do with it. So I went online, and just so you know there are WAY too many eggplant options. Most often is was as an addition to some kind of veggie dish, like pasta and vegetables, but where it stood on it's own was as eggplant parmesan. So that narrowed it down somewhat, but there are still about 49 bizillion versions of that. So I read several, then tried something to combine simplicity and healthiness. It wasn't bad.

1 eggplant, peeled and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
2 cups spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 slices bread


Optional step: Salt the eggplant to draw out moisture and bitterness. Salt both sides of eggplant slices and let sit in a colander for 20 min.-2 hours. Rinse and pat dry.


Spray a pie plate or 8" square pan with nonstick spray. Spoon a couple spoonfuls of sauce on bottom of pan. Layer eggplant, sauce, and cheeses until gone. (You can cut up some of the slices to fit in between gaps.) Put bread slices in the blender and pulse until it is all crumbs. Sprinkle on top. Bake covered at 350 for 20 minutes, then uncover for 20 minutes more, until bubbly and bread crumbs are toasted.

I am disliking jarred spaghetti sauce these days. The kind I used for this wasn't the best, and that basically ruined the whole thing for me. It tastes so processed and fake. I just like simple fresh sauces, with lots of garlic. That would have been way yummier, even if an extra step. Also, for any recipe that calls for bread crumbs, I keep the heels of the bread that no one will eat in a bag in the freezer. When a recipe calls for bread crumbs, I pop a couple in the blender.