Eggplant, King of the Vegetables as it is hailed in the Middle East, lends its creamy texture and unique flavor to this pasta dish. I modified this recipe to decrease fats from dairy and increase fiber from whole grain pasta and flour.
- 1/2 c. barley or whole wheat flour
- 1/2 c. dry whole wheat bread crumbs
- 2 Tbs Italian seasoning
- 2 Omega-3 eggs
- 2 Tbs water
- 1 small organic eggplant, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
- 1 Tbs peanut oil
- 1 (14 oz) jar organic marinara sauce
- 1 c. silken tofu, crumbled
- 1 c. grated Almond cheese (if you can have dairy may use Parmesan Cheese)
- 1 organic tomato, thinly sliced
- 1 (8 oz) package angel hair whole grain pasta
1. Preheat the oven to 350º F (175º C).
2. In a plastic bag, combine the flour, bread crumbs and Italian seasoning. Shake to mix. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and water. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. There should be enough oil to thinly coat the bottom of the skillet. Dip the eggplant slices in egg, then place in the bag and shake to coat. Fry the slices in the skillet until golden brown on each side. Remove, and drain on paper towels.
3. Spread a thin layer of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9-inch square baking dish. Cover with the eggplant slices, then top with more sauce. Mix together the tofu and Parmesan cheese; spread over the eggplant. Spread sauce over the cheese, and top with tomato slices. Cover with more sauce, and spread remaining cheese over the top.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.
5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook for about 3 minutes, or until tender. Drain.
6. Serve the eggplant tomato bake over pasta. Serve with steamed Broccoli and green Salad.
~ Eat Hearty! ♥
