Crispy Baked Eggplant

Crispy Baked Eggplant
Recipe from: Pepperbowl.com

Ingredients

1 Eggplant
5 Tbsp of Corn Starch
2 Tbsp of Chili Powder
1/2 Tbsp of Salt
3 Tbsp of Bread Crumbs

Directions

1. Slice the eggplant in 1/4 inch thick slices.
2. Sprinkle salt on each slice and stack them as layer.
3. Place a heavy weight on top of the stacked eggplant (I used a heavy cast iron skillet) for about 30 min to 45 min...this process will release a bitter purple(ish) water ,and also helps the eggplant get crisper while baking.
4. Pat dry the egg plant slices with tissue or dry cloth. Make sure you remove all the black liquid.
5. Make thin paste with salt, chili powder, corn starch by adding little water. Make sure the corn starch is not too thick. Thicker corn starch will make it little hard and chewy.
6. Dip egg plant slices in this paste and coat them with bread crumbs. On a greased pan, arrange the slices to bake. Leave enough space in between the slices for crispier eggplant. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
7. Bake for 20 minutes in the 350 degrees in the oven, by flipping them occasionally and once the slices are crispy they are ready!
   
   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   
   

   Last week at the grocery store Kyle picked up an eggplant and asked if it was good that he had never had one before. My que to buy one for him to try, I'm like a proud mom when he tries new healthy stuff...am I the only wife that feels this way? 

   
   

   I decided I wanted to try something new with it besides the normal eggplant parm. So I breaded and baked them to go with grilled chicken for dinner last night. I was even more excited when Kyle really liked them and suggested I try it with squash next time too. Dinner or the win! And a healthy one at that! They had great flavor and I dipped mine in a little bolthouse ranch, delicious!