Monday, July 28, 2014
eggplant parmesan with orzo
- 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 medium eggplant
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon water $
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup panko
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup)
- Cooking spray
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
- 1 1/3 cups lower-sodium marinara sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Preparation
Hands On: 25 Minutes
Total: 25 Minutes
Total: 25 Minutes
- 1. Arrange oven rack 10 inches below broiler element. Preheat broiler to high.
- 2. Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and return to pan. Add parsley, oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; toss.
- 3. While orzo cooks, cut top and bottom off eggplant. Partially peel eggplant lengthwise with a vegetable peeler, leaving long purple stripes. Cut eggplant crosswise into 8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place flour in a shallow dish. Combine 1 teaspoon water and egg in another shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Combine panko, oregano, and Parmigiano-Reggiano in another shallow dish.
- 4. Dredge eggplant in flour, dip in egg mixture, and dredge in panko mixture, gently pressing mixture to adhere. Arrange on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Coat tops of eggplant slices with cooking spray. Broil 3 minutes on each side or until browned and tender but firm. Top evenly with mozzarella; broil 1 minute or until cheese melts.
- 5. Heat marinara in microwave at HIGH for 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Arrange 1/2 cup orzo mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 2 eggplant slices and 1/3 cup marinara. Sprinkle evenly with pepper.
# posted by Chelsea @ 10:18 AM 
