It's nice to be back! So Eggplant Parmigiana it is! Cooked this dish about a couple of days ago. I didn't really plan to cook it as it's not very usual in Filipino cuisine but as an impulsive cook as I am, I always make dishes out of what I could find in the fridge. Below is a summed recipe for my own take on Eggplant Parmigiana.
You may opt to use eggplants with the skin on but I prefer otherwise as it sometimes become stringy. Thinly slice 2-3 eggplants lengthwise and season with salt and pepper. Fry the eggplant slices until crisp or golden brown. I chose to fry the eggplants with a well seasoned batter to increase volume as I only used 2 small sized eggplants on this recipe. Caramelize a medium sized thinly sliced onion then add 3 medium cloves of minced garlic. Put in a about half a pound of ground lean pork. Let it cook for a good 7 mins. then add in half a cup of sliced mushrooms and saute for another 3 mins. Pour in 2 cups of ready-made spaghetti sauce (I used Del Monte Mushroom Flavor for this one), season with salt, pepper and sugar. Simmer for 10 mins. with occasional stirring.
On an oven safe deep bowl or rectangular lasagna dish, make a layer of the fried eggplant slices at the bottom. Pour in a generous layer of the chunky sauce and add slices of parmessan cheese. Do this for another couple of times depending on how many layers you want to make. Top the last layer with grated parmessan and chunks of cream cheese. Put in the oven at 475F for 20-30 mins. or until top layer is golden brown and cheeses have melted.
Serve fresh out of the oven. Enjoy!
