This makes a delicious entree served with a salad and garlic bread.
- Carbohydrate 19.9262243299535 g
- Cholesterol 50.981123252504 mg
- Fat 13.902215337939 g
- Fiber 3.35393737751772 g
- Protein 12.5782939106748 g
- Saturated Fat 5.623014703777 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (190g)
- Sodium 749.472314927695 mg
- Sugar 16.5722869524358 g
- Trans Fat 0.80967210234642 g
- Calories 256 calories
Step-by-step
- Sprinkle both sides of the eggplant slices with salt. Place slices in a colander, and place a dish underneath the colander to capture liquid that will sweat out of the eggplant. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, mix the ricotta, mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Mix in egg and basil.
- Rinse the eggplant in cold water until all salt is removed. In a large skillet, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Place one layer of eggplant in the pan, brown each side. Repeat with remaining eggplant slices, using additional oil if necessary.
- In a 9x13 inch baking dish, evenly spread 1 1/2 cups of spaghetti sauce. Arrange a single layer of eggplant slices on top of the sauce. Top the eggplant with 1/2 of the cheese mixture. Repeat layering process until all the eggplant and cheese mixture is used. Pour remaining sauce on top of layers, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Bake 30 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until sauce is bubbly.
The ingredient list hides the physical reality of the squash. Eggplant acts like a dense sponge filled with bitter moisture. Without drawing that water out first, oil stays on the surface rather than penetrating the pan, and the final dish turns into mush.
The Second-Day Chemistry
Most casseroles taste better on the second day, but this dish undergoes a radical structural shift overnight. Starches in the pasta sauce retrograde. Excess moisture from the ricotta reabsorbs into the surrounding crumb, tightening the layers. When cold slices are reheated at 350 degrees F for twenty minutes, the cheese lipids separate and re-emulsify rather than simply melting. The interior firms up into distinct strata instead of sliding apart on the plate. Portioning yields for larger groups is straightforward. Doubling the quantities requires moving from a single 9x13 inch baking dish to two pans to maintain proper thermal penetration, while halving requires reducing the bake time by ten minutes to prevent scorching the edges.
- Rinse thoroughly after the thirty-minute salt draw or the sodium level will overwhelm the sauce.
- Brown the rounds in medium-heat oil until golden brown spots appear, ensuring the interior flesh cooks fully.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.
