fried eggplant casserole with tomatoes and olives
Cuisine: Italian
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 25 mins
Total time: 1 hour 25 mins
Ingredients
  • 2 medium eggplants, sliced into thick coins
  • 5 tablespoons salt
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • ¾ cup (70g) breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons dried parsley
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg (or 2 if needed)
  • 28 ounces (800g) tomato sauce with basil (or if not tomato sauce and add dried basil)
  • 3 ounces (80g) black olives, pitted and sliced in half
  • 1 cup (2.3 dl) water
Instructions
  1. Slice the eggplant into thick coins and place in a colander with salt. Add more salt if needed so that each eggplant is covered in salt. Let the eggplants sit for 30 minutes to release all their liquids and remove their bitterness. After 30 minutes, wash off the salt from the eggplants and dry each eggplant with paper towel.
  2. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F and heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over high heat to prepare for frying.
  3. Combine breadcrumbs, garlic powder, dried parsley and salt in a small bowl. Whisk egg in another small bowl.
  4. Coat each eggplant on both sides in the egg, then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture. Put to fry. Repeat with each eggplant slice, working in batches. Let the eggplants fry until one side is golden, about 5 to 7 minutes, then turn to fry on the other side. When both sides are golden, move the eggplant to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb excess oil.
  5. Place the eggplant slices in a single layer in a Pyrex.
  6. In a big mixing bowl, combine tomato sauce, black olives and water. Pour the mixture over the eggplants.
  7. Cook in the oven for 25 minutes. Serve warm.
Notes
CAN BE PREPARED IN ADVANCE: Prepare and cook the eggplants in advance. To reheat the casserole before serving, cover the Pyrex in foil paper and heat for 10 minutes in a preheated oven at 160°C/320°F.
Recipe by Savormania at http://www.savormania.com/fried-eggplant-casserole-with-tomatoes-and-olives/