Western Wonder Recipes: #1. Baked Eggplant with Mozzarella Cheese

(Total Cooking Time: Approx. 1 Hour)

Ingredients:

• For the Eggplants:
• 2 eggplants
• salt
• corn flour
• olive oil for frying
• 8 ounces of fresh Mozzarella cheese

• For the Tomato Sauce:
• 300 grams of ground pork
• 1 onion
• 1 cup of chopped or sliced red tomatoes
• 2 tea-spoons of salt
• 2 tea-spoons of ground black pepper
• 1 table-spoon of dried oregano leaves
• 2 tea-spoons  of olive oil
• 1 cup of tomato paste

• For the White Sauce Ingredients:
• 3 table-spoons of salted butter
• 3 table-spoons of corn flour
• 1 cup of milk
• 2 tea-spoons of salt
• 2 tea-spoons of ground black pepper
• 1 tea-spoon of nutmeg

How to cook:

• Eggplants:
• Wash the eggplants thoroughly and cut them into half-an-inch thick slices without peeling them.
• Place the eggplants in cold water with salt, and rinse them quickly.
• Dry the eggplant slices, and cover them with flour or dip them in beaten eggs (optional)
• Deep fry the slices in olive oil until they are golden brown.
• Place the eggplant slices on paper towels, in order for the excess oil to be absorbed
• Sprinkle some salt over the slices and let them rest for a while.

• Tomato Sauce:
• Heat the pan on medium-high heat before adding the olive oil. Heat the olive oil and fry the onion until they caramelize.
• Add ground pork and stir until the pork is well done.
• Add chopped tomatoes and tomato past and stir well.
• Add salt, ground black pepper, and oregano.
• Cook until the sauce starts to thicken.
• Remove from heat, and then start with the white sauce.

• White Sauce:
• Warm the milk in a pan, but do not let it boil. Remove from heat.
• Melt 3 table-spoons of the butter in the pan on low-heat.
• Add 3 table-spoons of corn flour. Stir constantly until it thickens.
• Add warm milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir constantly until the sauce becomes thick and creamy. Remove from heat.
• Mix the tomato sauce and white sauce together and add salt and pepper up to your personal taste.

• Last steps before baking:
• Place the fried eggplant slices in a bowl and spinkle them with salt.
• Spread tomato sauce and white sauce over the eggplants, and top them of with the Mozzarella.
• Add more layers as above.
• Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.

This is what your bowl should look like now:

• Put in the oven  at 180 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes or until your cheese turns golden brown.

Serve your Rich & Thick Baked Eggplant with Cheese as soon as ready! 



 HAVE A NICE MEAL!!!