Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Ingredients:
• 1 whole fresh eggplant (not the Japanese kind but larger kind)
• 1 medium onion
• Garlic - optional
• 1 package frozen spinach (defrosted first) or package of fresh spinach
• Fresh mozzarella (for you to slice)
• Parmesan, grated (or parmesan reggiano)
• Basil and oregano, salt and pepper, as needed
• Can of whole or stewed Italian tomatoes
• Tomato sauce
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Directions: |
Directions:Directions:
1. Sauté a medium onion in olive oil until onion is clear. Remove from oil and place in oblong pan or casserole dish. (can also cut and add a clove or two of fresh garlic to oil to sauté but be careful not to burn garlic).
2. Slice eggplant (peeled or unpeeled but Denise likes unpeeled) into ½ inch or so slices
3. Sauté sliced eggplant in the olive oil that onions were cooked in. Eggplant should be firm – but not too raw.
(Additional optional note: if you want the ultimate layered eggplant to be a little crustier you can first dip each eggplant slice into a bowl with a beaten egg – an egg wash - and then dip each side lightly in Italian spiced bread crumbs before sautéing the slices….. or make the breadcrumbs optional.)
4. Open can and pour a can of either solid pack Italian tomatoes or stewed tomatoes over onions in the pan/casserole dish.
Next variation, depending on whether you use fresh or frozen spinach:
5. Drain the package of defrosted spinach to get water out OR, if using fresh spinach, wash and de-stem spinach, shred in half & steam or sauté to semi-cook first (cook about halfway, drain off water if you steam with water)
6. Take ball of mozzarella cheese and slice thin slices of cheese to use.
7. Place a layer of the sliced semi-cooked eggplant over the onion/canned tomato in pan/dish.
8. Place a thin layer of the defrosted frozen spinach (or semi-cooked fresh spinach) over layer of eggplant slices.
9. Layer some of the mozzarella slices over spinach layer (to cover).
10 Can add a little basil and/or oregano if you wish…and a tiny bit of salt, pepper to taste if you wish. (Don’t need a lot, especially if you use Italian basil canned tomatoes or sauce. Don’t need much salt if any either. You can also just add spices to last layer if you prefer if using multiple layers.)
11.Do another layer of all (eggplant, spinach and mozzarella). Can even do another layer depending upon the size of your eggplant & the size of your pan but arrange so that layers are as even as possible. Can layer a little more canned/stewed tomato in between if you wish.
12. Sprinkle some of the grated parmesan or parmesan/reggiano cheese on top of the dish.
13. Pour can/jar of tomato sauce (or your own homemade tomato sauce) over the top, covering it all completely but don’t need to overdo it either. Italian basil tomato sauce in jar works OK though if you don’t have time.
14. Bake covered at 375% for about 30 minutes…. Depending upon your oven, you can also try to bake at 350% for a little longer. Dish should be hot and cooked through but not overly soggy. Let rest a couple of minutes before cutting serving portions.
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Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Can play around with recipe to fit to your own aesthetic, preference for # of layers, cooking time, type of sauce, etc. HAVE EVEN ADDED IN A LAYER OF SLICED & SAUTÉED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS TO THE WHOLE MIX – VERY YUMMY with all the other layers.
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This recipe for Anne's Famous Eggplant Florentine is from