Eggplant with Bolognese Sauce
Ingredients
For the Eggplant:
- 2 medium eggplants; about 1-¼ pounds each), cut into ⅓-inch rounds (12 to 14 slices per eggplant)
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1 cup milk
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Canola oil or cooking spray (for the baking pan)
- Parchment paper
For the Bolognese Sauce:
- 1-½ tbsp. olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- ½-pound ground beef
- ½-pound ground pork
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 2 beef bouillon cubes, crumbled
- One 28-ounce can crushed tomato
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 tsp. granulated sugar, if needed
- 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ tsp. dried thyme or oregano
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1-pound spaghetti
- Parmesan cheese, optional
For the Stacks:
- Parmesan cheese
- Mozzarella cheese slices
- Fresh basil, slivered, optional
Instructions
To prepare the bolognese sauce:
- In a large pot or deep skillet, over medium high, heat the oil.
- Add onion and garlic; cook for 3 minutes or until light golden and softened.
- Turn heat up to high; add beef and pork; cook, breaking it up as your go, until browned.
- Add the red wine; bring to simmer and cook for 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pot, until the alcohol smell is gone.
- Add remaining ingredients, except salt and pepper; stir, bring to a simmer then turn down to medium so it bubbles gently.
- Cook, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes, adding water if the sauce gets too thick for your taste; stir occasionally.
- Adjust salt and pepper, to taste, right at the end.
To prepare and bake the eggplant:
- Pre-heat oven to 375ºF.
- Lightly oil a baking sheet or jellyroll pan.
- Using a large plate, add Panko, basil and ½ teaspoon salt; mix to combine.
- Pour milk into a shallow bowl.
- Dip each eggplant slice into milk and turn to coat; shake off excess.
- Press an eggplant slice down into the breadcrumbs; flip and press the other side in to help the crumbs adhere.
- Arrange breaded eggplant on a lightly oiled baking sheet; repeat with the rest of the slices.
- Sprinkle eggplant slices with a little salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper.
- Place in pre-heated oven and bake for 25 minutes; flip slices and bake for another 15 minutes until the eggplant is softened and lightly browned in spots.
- Remove tray from oven and let eggplant cool for a few minutes so you can handle it; leave oven set at 375ºF.
To assemble the stacks and serve:
- Line a jellyroll pan with parchment paper.
- Divide the total number of eggplant slices by 3 and that's how many stacks you'll have; this recipe yields 8 to 9 stacks.
- Arrange the 8 or 9 largest eggplant rounds on the prepared parchment lined pan.
- Top each round with two tablespoon of tomato sauce, a teaspoon of parmesan, 1 slice of mozzarella and a sprinkle of slivered basil; don't add basil to the top of the stacks.
- Repeat with two more layers, using the larger slices for the middle layer and the smaller ones for the top.
- Place back in the pre-heated oven and bake for 20 minutes.
- Serve hot; garnish each stack with a sprinkle of slivered basil, if desired.