I love the Italian classics but I don’t always have a ton of time for prep or cooking. After picking a whole bunch of Japanese eggplants from my garden {I prefer these because there are almost no seeds and no bitterness to them} I decided to have some fun with the classic eggplant parmigiana. These Eggplant Parmigiana Boats have all the same great elements, a bit healthier, less time to prepare and just delicious.
The classic Eggplant Parmigiana, which I LOVE also, well it takes quite a bit of time. Theres the breading and frying of the eggplant, the sauce, the layering and that long cook time. These fun Eggplant Parmigiana Boats are so much faster to throw together! I simply cut the eggplants in half, drizzled with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Roasted them for about 30 minutes, topped with my 10 minute tomato sauce and some fresh mozzarella. Under the broiler they went to melt the cheese and done! A little pasta or a salad on the side and you’ve got dinner on the table.
- 6 Japanese eggplants, cut in half lengthwise
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups pureed canned San Marzano tomatoes
- 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 3 Tbsp finely chopped onion
- fresh basil
- fresh mozzarella, sliced thin
- salt & pepper
- Preheat your oven to 385 degrees.
- Place the halved eggplants onto a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Roast for about 30 minutes.
- While the eggplant is cooking you can make the quick sauce. In a saucepan, over medium low heat, add the olive oil, onion and garlic. Cook until softened. Add in the pureed tomato, fresh basil and a little salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove the eggplants from the oven, top each with a little sauce and some fresh mozzarella. Place under the broiler for just 30-45 seconds or until the cheese is melted and golden.
- You can garnish with some fresh parsley and grated pecorino cheese.
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marybellebuono
Wow, being Italian myself this sounds just awesome and i so agree with you about making this a lot more healthy and less time consuming, thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe, i make my own sauce too. Bless you and hugs.
Angela LeMoine
Thank you so much, I appreciate you taking a moment to leave these sweet words. This recipe is definitely a new go to for me… And the sauce, homemade is a must… There’s just no comparison