Photo Source: "Eggplant "Parm" by bottleandball, on Flickr">



The tender eggplant covered in crispy bread crumbs topped with homemade sauce and bubbling mozzarella is the perfect dinner.

Ingredients:

1 medium to small eggplant {I prefer smaller, because they tend to have less seeds)
1/2 cup flour
1 to 1 1/2 cup Italian style bread crumbs
16 ounces part-skim mozzarella
2 eggs
tomato sauce
olive oil
angel hair or macaroni pasta

Procedures:

(1) Wash the eggplant under water and with the skin still on, slice it into thin, round pieces (no bigger than 1/4 of an inch). Arrange the slices on a plate and sprinkle with salt.

(2) In a bowl combine the flour and the bread crumbs. Mix well. In a second bowl , add the eggs with just a splash of water and beat well.

(3) Coat the bottom of a large non-stick pan with olive oil and heat. Using a fork, spear a piece of eggplant and dip both sides into the bread crumb mixture making sure it's well-coated.

(4) Next, dip the eggplant into the egg batter, again coating both sides.

(5) Once it's covered in the egg batter, dip it back into the bread crumb mixture making sure to again coat both sides.

(6) Put the eggplant in the pan with the hot oil and cook, flipping at least once, until both sides are golden and the inside is soft.

(7) Remove the eggplant slices from the oil and let drain on a paper towel. Once they are cool to the touch, use another paper towel to pat any excess oil off the top.

(8) Repeat these steps until all the slices are complete. {Remember to taste test the eggplant once they are cool.)

(9) Put your oven on low broil and set your racks accordingly.

(10) Arrange the eggplant slices on a cookie sheet, so they are in the center and the edges are just touching.

(11) Spread a thin layer of hot tomato sauce over each eggplant slice.

(12) Top the slices with thinly slices pieces of mozzarella, making sure to coat most of the eggplant with the cheese.

(13) Add a bit more sauce on top of the mozzarella and broil in the oven until the cheese is golden and bubbly.

(14) Plate the eggplant with a side of angel hair pasta.

Photo Source: "Spiced Fish Baked Pasta by Jandy Jean, on Flickr">



If you like tuna and pasta bake you will definitely love this recipe more as it uses Salmon which in my personal opinion is a better tasting fish. This dish definitely tasted better as salmon have more fat content thus having more flavor and with regards to the texture it is softer rather than dry and rough, it was a brilliant idea for a tuna replacement and with the addition of dried porcini mushrooms it definitely improved the flavors a lot.

Ingredients:

200g macaroni pasta, cooked
3 pcs dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated in 1 cup water.
100ml milk
100ml cream
300g salmon, cooked and flaked
100g frozen corn kernels
1 red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
dried parsley
120g cheddar cheese, grated
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour

Procedures:

1. Drain mushrooms and reserve liquid, chop the mushrooms then set aside.

2. In a large pan sauté onion and garlic in butter. Add chopped mushrooms and stir fry for 2 minutes.

3. Mix flour and water from soaked mushrooms, mix until free of lumps then add it into the pot together with milk, cream, corn, chilli powder and 1/2 of the grated cheese. Bring to a boil and simmer until thick in consistency.

4. Now add the pasta and flaked salmon and give it a good mix.

5. Pour the whole mixture in an oven proof dish then top with the remaining cheese and parsley.

6. Bake for 30 minutes in a preheated oven at 220C.