When I think of eggplant parmesan, I think of yummy, cheesy, gooey, deliciousness that’s probably not incredibly healthy (forget probably, it’s just not). This, however, is not that (well except for the tasty of course!). This probably shouldn’t even be called eggplant parmesan, since it’s nothing like that traditional version- it’s not breaded, fried, or baked with with tomato sauce and cheese (which all sounds amazing, but this just isn’t that complicated). It does however have both eggplant and parmesan, so seemed like an appropriate name (maybe eggplant tomato parm would’ve been better??!). This couldn’t be more simple really… a layer of eggplant topped with a layer of fresh tomatoes topped with fresh basil and parmesan. Now we have an eggplant parm that’s quick, simple, delicious, and healthy!!
This is how it started…
I went up north to visit my mom last week (just outside of Chico, Ca) and she randomly had a lovely little afternoon potluck. This was no ordinary potato salad potluck though; this was crazy good. A- she lives on a river, so it was outside in a beautiful nature-drenched setting; B- all of the people who came have amazing gardens, so everything was totally fresh picked and right from their yards; C- they all are awesome cooks who know how to make the nutritious taste super delicious!! So… this one dish a friend brought was eggplant parm- I totally expected that kind I described above, but no, to my surprise, it was simply basic and delicious. I fell in love. So naturally, I promised myself that when I got home, I would make it. But wait… this gets better. The next day, just before I left my mom’s to drive home, her neighbor came over with a basket of goodness for us. And guess what it was…. an amazing basket of fresh home-grown eggplants and tomatoes (coincidence!!?). And not just any tomatoes- heirloom pineapple tomatoes!! So I took my basket, drove home, and went right into my kitchen to make myself the eggplant parm for lunch. Happy day 🙂
We also went on our own picking spree through my mom’s garden…. HEAVEN.
Figs galore, grapes, limes…
Tomatoes, herbs, greens, and more! My smile was ridiculously stretched.
And check out the potluck goods…
Nectarine & berry tart
Fresh fig & fruit salad…
And an array of delicious dishes to feast on…
And you know I had to make those grilled peaches I’m always ranting on about 😉
Okay, so back to the eggplant parm. I just had to use these wonderful tomatoes and eggplants. It’s best if the tomatoes and eggplant slices are about the same size- so they make stacks. So this was great- I had large tomatoes and medium eggplant… beautiful ones, too!
And some basil of course!
And fresh parmesan… 4 ingredients of deliciousness… that’s it!!
(no measuring required for this one… just cutting, baking, and drizzling!)
INGREDIENTS
2 eggplant
2 large tomatoes
handful of fresh basil
pile of fresh parmesan cheese
salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Begin by chopping tops off of eggplant
Then slice into evenly cut thick pieces- around 3/4 – 1 inch thick
This step is optional, but I sometimes find the skin to be rough, so I chopped it off…
Stack a couple slices on top of each other and slice skin off
(You could also peel eggplants before slicing- doesn’t matter)
Lightly drizzle olive oil over bottom of a large baking dish
Place eggplant slices down and give tops a nice drizzle too
Then generously sprinkle slices with salt and pepper
Eggplant doesn’t have a ton of flavor, so be liberal with those seasonings!
Place in oven, uncovered, for about 20 minutes
Flip eggplant slices and bake for about another 10 minutes, until golden and soft
While eggplant is baking, prep tomatoes…
If tomatoes have a thick core (some big ones do), remove with a knife
It’s not a huge deal if left in, but they can be tough to chew…
Then slice tomato into slices about the same size as eggplant
Lay flat on cutting surface or plate to season
Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper
Let sit until eggplant is ready
Grate as much parmesan as you want…
And chop of basil
Now you’re ready to layer!
When eggplant is ready, lay tomato slices over eggplant, making
little eggplant-tomato stacks in pan
Top with parmesan cheese and about half of the basil (the remaining is to top at end)
Bake for about 15 minutes, until tomatoes are lightly golden and cooked
Transfer eggplant tomato stacks to a plate/platter, one stack at a time
Top with remaining basil and sprinkle with fresh pepper (and more salt), as desired
Enjoy as a side or a main treat!!
