Recipe - Eggplant In The Style Of Modugno (Melanzane A

1 lg Eggplant (about 2 lbs),
Sliced lengthwise 1/4inch
Thick
1 tablespoon Salt
2 cup Olive oil
One fourth cup Dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoon Minced garlic (3 medium
Cloves)
One half cup Chopped parsley
1 Three fourths cup Grated mozzarella cheese
(8 oz.)
One half cup Freshly grated Parmesan
Cheese (2 oz.)
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup Marinara Sauce

1. Layer the eggplant slices in a colander, sprinkling each layer with the
salt. Set aside to drain for at least 1One half hours. Gently squeeze out the
excess liquid. Pat dry with paper towels. 2. In a large skillet, heat the
olive oil over moderately high heat to 375F or until a small bread cube
browns in about 1 minute. Add the eggplant slices in small batches and fry,
turning once, until golden and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. 3. Preheat the oven
to 375F. In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, garlic, parsley,
mozzarella and all but 2 Tablespoons of the Parmesan. Stir in the egg and
season with salt and pepper. 4. Spoon Three fourths c. of the Marinara Sauce into a
nonreactive 8by12inch baking pan. Spread about 1 Tablespoon of the
mozzarella mixture on each slice of eggplant, roll up and place seam side
down in the pan. Spoon the remaining One fourth c. Marinara Sauce over the
eggplant rolls and sprinkle the reserved 2 Tablespoons Parmesan on top.
(This dish can be prepared to this point several hours ahead and kept
covered at room temperature.) Bake until the mixture bubbles and the cheese
is melted, about 20 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature. These
eggplant rolls are from Apulia, the region that forms the heel of the
Italian boot. They make a wonderful antipasto or a delicious luncheon
dish. Serve at room temperature to enjoy their fullest flavor.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini