You go to an italian restaurant. You order the eggplant parmesana. It comes to you all soft and covered in cheese and sauce with a side of noodles. Melt in your mouth yummy right?
You go home thinking, "I wish I could make something that yummy". But alas, you think your meager cooking skills are too lacking to make something so complex and delicious.
Or maybe you're having your new girl over and want to impress her with your suave cooking skills but are truly clueless. This would definitely impress her but too hard right?
Nope. You're wrong. Eggplant Parmesean is the easiest thing in the world to make. No really. It is. It involves slicing, a few herbs, some cheese and an oven. You can do that right?
Sure you can.
See easy. And fast too. And you can continue playing on Facebook and Pinterest while it cooks. Triple bonus!
So first you need an eggplant. There are multiple types and any will do. The long skinny ones I reserve for thai cooking, but would be fun for an appetizer or kid sized pieces. I used a regular old purple eggplant.
I lied. First, get your oven rarin' to go by setting it to about 350. If your oven is retarded like mine, 375ish.
Now, chop off the ends of your purple orb. Oooh. Orb. Giggle. I like that word. Sounds dirty and silly all at the same time. Giggle.
Ehem. Sorry. Slice into 1/2 inch sized pieces.
Lay them on a baking sheet in a single layer. One eggplant was enough for 2 adults and 2 kids here.
Next, spray with olive oil and sprinkle with some herbage.
Herbage used this day was:
Basil
Oregano
Lemon Pepper
Salt
Garlic
Just shake it on, being messy is ok!
No really. It is!
Ok. If you want clean up to be easy 'cause your lazy like me then use a piece of tin foil over the pan before you lay your slices down. Makes clean up a snap.
Just recycle the foil k? K.
Wax paper is a good option too. Recycle that too when your done.
Look at you being all green and stuff!
*Sniff* I'm so proud.
*Clears throat*
Ok. So. Your eggplant is almost really happy. Its crying for cheese.
Mozzarella to be exact.
Be prepared, I am going to go Alton Brown on you...
Ready?
Are you sure?
There are a few types of Mozzarella out there. I usually use either the kind you get in a block that is half plastic or the kind you get in a roll that is 100% mozzarella, no plastic involved.
They both get yummy and melty. The fresh mozz is creamier, meltier and well, better for you. (No plastic). It is also about the same price as the blocks.
Ok. I'm done doing Alton Brown. He'd probably go into a lot more scientific detail. I won't subject you to that. :-)
Where do you get them you ask? Oh.Well. Any decent grocer has them, usually located by the ricotta cheese. I get it from Costco. Double pack for $6. Lasts through 3 pizzas and this plus a little for snacking.
Spread on your mozz. If you are using shredded, it is doubly important, for ease of cleaning up, that you use foil or wax paper to line your pan. Burnt melted cheese is a bitch to get off.
Trust me.
Ooooh. See. Can you here the eggplant rejoice at the yumminess layered on?
You can't?
Well, put your darn ear closer to the picture...
See? Amazing right?
So then you slide those puppies into the oven. It should be hot by now.
Let them cook for 15 mins or so.
In the meantime, you can dump in your noodles into that pot of boiling water you started.
You can get out your jar of sauce too and get it nuked. If you were feeling adventurous and made it from scratch, then use that. Make it before you start the other stuff. It would be step 1 in this meal.
Go play on your computer or watch T.V. while waiting.
Or you could chop some lettuce and tomato and onion and cucumber and make a salad to go with dinner. Then you would be really impressing the girl.
Oooh. Or make some garlic bread. Slices of bread, add butter, sprinkle with garlic and stick in the oven.
When your eggplant is done is should look like this...
Put a couple on a plate, douse with sauce, add some noodles on the side and douse with sauce. If you got REALLY fancy for that special girl you are impressing, put the salad in a small bowl, and a put the bread in the middle of the table on a nice plate. No, not the poker one. A NICE one.
Crack open some red wine, light a couple of candles and you are set to impress.
Bet you even get a kiss for your troubles!
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