Italian eggplant casserole

 
                         ITALIAN EGGPLANT CASSEROLE
 
 Recipe By     : The Cook's Book of Uncommon Recipes
 Serving Size  : 6    Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Casseroles                       Uncommon Recipes Not Sent
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
      1/2  cup           olive oil
      1/2  cup           finely chopped onion
    2                    cloves of garlic -- finely minced
    2      (8-oz) cans   tomato sauce
    1      teaspoon      dried basil
      1/2  teaspoon      dried oregano
    1      teaspoon      sugar
      1/2  teaspoon      ground pepper
    1      large         eggplant (1 to 1 1/2 pounds)
    1                    egg
      1/4  cup           milk
    1      cup           dried bread crumbs
    8      ounces        mozzarella cheese
      1/2  cup           Parmesan cheese, freshly grated -- if possible
 
 In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil and saute the onions and
 garlic until tender. In a sauce pan combine the cooked onions and garlic
 with the tomato sauce, basil, sugar and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce
 heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
 
 While the sauce is cooking, pare the eggplant and slice it lengthwise into
 thin slices (about 1/4 inch thick). In a shallow bowl, beat the egg with the
 milk. Put the bread crumbs in a second shallow bowl. Dip each piece of
 eggplant into the egg-milk mixture and then coat with the crumbs. Place the
 coated pieces on a rack.
 
 Add the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil to the skillet used to saute the
 onions and garlic. Heat the oil and saute the eggplant pieces until they are
 golden brown. 
 
 Put about 1/3 of the sauce into a 8-inch square baking pan.
 
 Shred the mozzarella cheese and mix it with the ricotta. Put a generous
 teaspoonful of the cheese mixture in the middle of each eggplant slice and
 roll up. Place with seam side down in the tomato sauce in the pan. Cover
 with the tomato sauce and sprinkle the top with grated Parmesan. 
 
 Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.
 
 YIELD: serves 6
 
                    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -