Eggplant with Tomatoes and Feta cheese is a delicious alternative to the heavier Eggplant Parmesan and makes a wonderful vegetarian entrée or side dish. It’s especially delicious when tomatoes are in season but will work just fine with canned tomatoes.
Eggplant with Tomatoes and Feta
If you are trying to avoid fried foods, you can modify the recipe by roasting the eggplant slices in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 10 minutes each side. They will still be tender and delicious.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. eggplant
- 4 tbsp. olive oil (plus more for frying)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 large tomatoes, diced (substitute 15 oz. canned diced tomatoes (un-drained)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. dried mint
- 1 tsp. sugar
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- all purpose flour for dredging eggplant
- 4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
Preparation:
Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a skillet or sauce pan. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
Add the tomatoes, parsley, oregano, mint, sugar and salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes stirring occasionally. If the mixture appears too dry, add a little water to the pan.
Peel and slice the eggplant into 1/2 inch rounds. Lightly coat both sides with flour and shake off the excess. In another large skillet, heat about a 1/4 inch of olive oil until shimmering but not smoking.
Fry the eggplant slices on both sides until light golden brown (about 3 minutes a side depending on the heat of your oil). Remove the cooked slices and drain on paper towels or on a rack inserted over a half-sheet pan. Keep warm.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the eggplant slices on a baking sheet and top with the tomato mixture. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese. Heat in a preheated oven for 10 minutes to melt the feta a bit and reheat any slices that may have cooled.
