Raleigh Slump

I have not cooked a meal for myself and Nate in about 3 weeks. I am going stir crazy! I never thought I would tire of eating out but I definitely have. All the barbecue, fried chicken and burgers have  left me feeling jaded and I miss getting my hands dirty. 

Luckily, yesterday Nate and I went to the State Farmers Market just up the road from our apartment! This glorious market is open year-round, has plenty of vendors selling produce, meat, cheese, jams and bread, and is affordable. Great, huh? 

The farmers market gave me inspiration to make Eggplant Parmesan. 

I began by making my marinara sauce: 

Marinara Sauce 

5 large tomatoes, blanched and seeded

1/4 C olive oil

7 cloves garlic, peeled and slivered 

1/4 tbs oregano

1/4 tbs Italian seasoning

1/4 tbs basil 

1/2 tbs crushed red pepper flakes 

Salt and pepper, to taste 

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1/2 C water

1/2 C dry red wine

To blanch: 

Blanching tomatoes is pretty easy, just time consuming. 

Over high heat, bring 3-4 C water to a boil. Once boiling, place tomatoes in water for 30 seconds. 

Promptly remove from water and shock in ice bath. Using a knife, remove the stem and make a small hole. 

Remove the skin, the blanching will make this very easy. 

Using a sieve over a bowl or liquid measuring cup, gently squeeze the tomato to collect the juice. 

Quarter the tomato. 

Told you it was easy peasy, just makes a big mess and takes a long time. I don't blame you if you want to replace fresh tomatoes for a 24 oz can of crushed tomatoes. 

In a deep skillet over medium heat, heat garlic until it sizzles, DO NOT let it brown. 

Add in the tomatoes and cook for 15 minutes or so. 

Add in seasons, tomato paste, water and wine. Continue to cook for at least 1 1/2 hours to really get  rid of the raw tomato flavor. Add more water if necessary. 

Eggplant Parmesan 

2 1/2 - 3 C marinara sauce 

1 large Eggplant, sliced 1/4 inch thick rounds  

1 egg

2 Tbsp water 

1 C Italian breadcrumbs 

1 C Parmesan cheese

1 C mozzarella cheese, or in my case, fresh raw milk farmers cheese (it's delicious!) 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

In a bowl, combine egg and water. Place breadcrumbs in a separate bowl. Dredge eggplant in egg and coat with breadcrumbs. 

Place dredged eggplant slices on a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack. Bake for 15 minutes per side. 

Once eggplant is baked, you will begin layering your Parmesan. 

In a casserole dish, I used my trusty 9X9, coated with cooking spray, place a thin layer of sauce. Begin layering eggplant, sauce and cheeses. Repeat until all eggplant is gone. Top with remaining cheeses and bake for 30 minutes at 375. For a bubbly top bake for 5-7 minutes under the broiler. 

It was very nice to feel useful in the kitchen again and make food that makes my tummy, my heart and my husband very happy. Now, off to wash the mountain of dishes in the sink!