Light and Fresh Eggplant Parmesan - Melanzane alla Parmigiana

Happy Saturday! I hope you are enjoying these nice and sunny spring days.
Here in Los Angeles, it has been super hot this past week with an unusually long heat wave. I really love warm weather, and I was able to stay cool and enjoy a few afternoons at the beach with my kids and some friends. There is nothing as nice as dipping your feet in the cold water, and enjoy the fresh ocean breeze when it's almost 100 degrees!
Today's dish is also fresh and light. Perfect for these hot, summery days.
The eggplants Parmesan in this recipe are a healthier and lighter version of the traditional Italian melanzane alla parmigiana: the eggplants are thinly sliced and grilled, not fried; no sauce but yummy organic fresh tomatoes; lots of cheese and oregano, of course!; a sprinkle of olive oil and a brush of garlic. A delightful vegetarian meal with a fresh, Mediterranean flavor. A must-try!!


Ingredients:

• 1 eggplant, about 1 lb
• 5 organic tomatoes
• 8 oz of fontina or mozzarella cheese, sliced
• about 5-7 slices of (white) bread, enough to make two layers
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• oregano
• salt
• extra virgin olive oil

Preparation time: About 1 hour

Directions:

Step 1: Cut the eggplants in thin slices. Sprinkle lightly with salt and few drops of olive oil if you'd like, and grill. I used a stove top grilling pan.

Step 2: Toast the bread slices a little bit, and brush one side with garlic. Thinly slice the tomatoes and season with salt.

Step 3: In an over pan, sprinkle a bit of oil on the bottom. Add a layer of bread, break in pieces if necessary. Top with half of the grilled eggplants. I cut mine really thin, to make the grilling part faster, so I overlaid some of the slices. Top with cheese slices, tomatoes, oregano, and a little bit of olive oil, in that order.

Step 4: Repeat for one more layer: bread, eggplants, cheese, tomatoes, oregano and olive oil. This time, sprinkle the top with the Parmesan cheese.

Step 5: Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Uncover, and cook for 10 more minutes.

Deliciously light, fresh and wholesome! Enjoy :)