Donna’s Eggplant ‘Burgers’

Eggplant by itself has very little flavor and it becomes soft after cooking. It comes alive with this flavorful crisp breading. Serve it on a bun and top it with cheese and condiments. The breaded slices can also be topped with cheese and marinara sauce for easy Eggplant Parmesan.

1 large American purple eggplant 1 egg, lightly beaten 1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs (Japanese style bread crumbs)* 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt seasoned salt to taste (e.g. Montreal steak seasoning) pepper to taste oil spray 1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a large baking sheet.

Cut eggplant into 3/4 inch slices. (Eggplant can be peeled or left unpeeled. It is your choice. It may vary depending on the variety of the eggplant and the tenderness of the skin.)

Place beaten egg into shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, seasoned salt and pepper. Dip both sides of each piece of eggplant into egg and then coat both sides generously with bread crumb mixture.

Oven baking: Place on baking pan. Spray each piece with oil spray. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn on broiler and place baking pan several inches under the boiler. Boil until lightly brown on one side and then turn each piece and brown the other side. Watch carefully to prevent burning.

Sautee in skillet: Eggplant slices may also be cooked on the stove. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add eggplant slices and cook over medium heat until brown on both sides and cooked through.

Serve with condiments and extra toppings such as tomato, avocado, onions, or salsa.

*Panko bread crumbs are available in the Asian section of most grocery stores. They are larger and have more texture that regular bread crumbs.

Serves 4

Nutritional Information per serving:

Calories: 100 Fat, gm.: 6 Protein, gm.: 6 Carbs, gm.: 9 Cholesterol, mg.: 50 Fiber, gm.: 2.5