Eggplant Parmesan
Assembly Time: about 45 minutes; Reheating Time: about 1 hour. Notes: Thaw overnight (the night before serving, place container of frozen food in the refrigerator) or bake directly from the freezer, allowing about 1 1/2 hours. Serve with a salad of Belgian endive and marinated red peppers.
How to Make It
Step 1
1
Rinse eggplant; trim and discard ends. Cut eggplant crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Arrange 1/2 the slices in a single layer on each of 2 baking sheets (14 by 17 in.). Lightly brush eggplant slices on both sides with oil.
Step 2
2
Bake in a 500° oven until eggplant is soft when pressed and lightly browned, about 18 minutes (10 to 15 minutes in a convection oven); switch pan positions halfway through baking.
Step 3
3
Meanwhile, cut mozzarella into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Step 4
4
Arrange 1/4 of the eggplant in a single layer in each of 2 foil pans (8 to 9 in. square). Cover eggplant in each pan with 1/4 of the mozzarella and top with 1 cup tomato sauce. Repeat layers, using all the ingredients.
Step 5
5
Seal pans with foil (see Cold Facts below). Combine crumbs and parmesan cheese; put 1/2 the mixture in each of 2 plastic freezer bags (1-pt. size). Seal bags, tape 1 to each pan, and freeze.
Step 6
6
Thaw 1 pan (see notes). Remove bag with crumb mixture.
Step 7
7
Bake eggplant, covered, in a 375° oven until steaming in center (cut to test), 50 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Uncover pan and sprinkle crumb mixture over eggplant. Bake until well browned, 5 to 10 minutes more.
Step 8
8
Cold Facts. Packaging: freezer bags and foil pans. Squeeze out all air and seal bag. For better protection of frozen foods during storage, seal each bag inside a second one. Lay bags flat in freezer until solid so they will stack. Seal foil pans with a double layer of foil to protect foods for storage. Label each dish with permanent marker. Make a master list of the dishes. As you remove each from the freezer, cross it off the list. For best quality, freeze meat mixtures no longer than six weeks, others three months.
Step 9
9
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
Ingredients
2 3/4 pounds eggplant
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Italian-style fine dried bread crumbs
1 cup (4 to 5 oz.) shredded parmesan cheese
Directions
Step 1
1
Rinse eggplant; trim and discard ends. Cut eggplant crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Arrange 1/2 the slices in a single layer on each of 2 baking sheets (14 by 17 in.). Lightly brush eggplant slices on both sides with oil.
Step 2
2
Bake in a 500° oven until eggplant is soft when pressed and lightly browned, about 18 minutes (10 to 15 minutes in a convection oven); switch pan positions halfway through baking.
Step 3
3
Meanwhile, cut mozzarella into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Step 4
4
Arrange 1/4 of the eggplant in a single layer in each of 2 foil pans (8 to 9 in. square). Cover eggplant in each pan with 1/4 of the mozzarella and top with 1 cup tomato sauce. Repeat layers, using all the ingredients.
Step 5
5
Seal pans with foil (see Cold Facts below). Combine crumbs and parmesan cheese; put 1/2 the mixture in each of 2 plastic freezer bags (1-pt. size). Seal bags, tape 1 to each pan, and freeze.
Step 6
6
Thaw 1 pan (see notes). Remove bag with crumb mixture.
Step 7
7
Bake eggplant, covered, in a 375° oven until steaming in center (cut to test), 50 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Uncover pan and sprinkle crumb mixture over eggplant. Bake until well browned, 5 to 10 minutes more.
Step 8
8
Cold Facts. Packaging: freezer bags and foil pans. Squeeze out all air and seal bag. For better protection of frozen foods during storage, seal each bag inside a second one. Lay bags flat in freezer until solid so they will stack. Seal foil pans with a double layer of foil to protect foods for storage. Label each dish with permanent marker. Make a master list of the dishes. As you remove each from the freezer, cross it off the list. For best quality, freeze meat mixtures no longer than six weeks, others three months.
Step 9
9
Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.
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