Eggplant Parmesan Sandwiches
1 small eggplant, sliced into 1/8 inch thick rounds
1 egg, beat with 1 Tbsp water
1 C Italian breadcrumbs
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 C marinara sauce
1/2 C garlic mayo (recipe to follow)
1/2 C shredded parmesan cheese
2 C fresh spinach, chopped
6 hoagie rolls
Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with foil.
To prepare eggplant, dip slices in egg and water mixture and coat each side evenly in breadcrumbs. After all eggplant slices are coated, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Arrange eggplant in a single layer at the bottom of the skillet and fry for 5 minutes. Flip the eggplant and repeat with the remaining slices and add more oil to the pan as necessary. Place cooked slices on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil.
Slice the hoagie rolls in half, toast in oven for 3 minutes and slather one side with garlic mayo and the other side with 1-2 Tbsp of marinara sauce. Put about 1/2 C of chopped spinach on the mayo'd side and top with eggplant slices. I was able to get about 3-4 slices per sandwich. Top eggplant with another 1-2 Tbsp of marinara sauce and sprinkle with about 1 Tbsp of cheese per sandwich. Repeat for all remaining ingredients.
After your sandwiches are assembled, bake for 5 minutes or until cheese is melty and gooey.
I got 5 sandwiches out of this recipe because one of my rolls split into fourths...which is not very good for sandwich making, however had my roll been intact I would've been able to get 6. And in the event you cannot and do not wish to eat 6 full-sized sandwiches by yourself (as a party of 1), sharing food with co-workers is a great way to make friends! Or conning people into associating you with good things - you do you, boo.
I must also confess that I didn't eat these sandwiches right out of the oven, as I should've but instead only made them on Sunday evening to save my withering eggplant from a fate of slowly rotting in my trash can (I am a generous god). I instead held off on munching them until yesterday for lunch and I must say, they were spectacular even after being refrigerated and reheated in a microwave! However I would've preferred to use a toaster oven or convection oven to avoid the bread becoming chewy or soggy, which it was...slightly. However despite this, the sandwich was full of flavor! The eggplant was meaty, the mayo was garlicy and the spinach took on a wilted-sautéed texture. It was a home run for sure! Luckily for me, I have another one today!
Garlic Mayonnaise
1/2 C plain mayonnaise
3 fresh garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix everything together in a bowl and spread on your favorite sammies!
Thank you, as always for taking the time out of your busy lives to read my humble blog and keep on eatin'!
Looks very delicious!
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