I ❤ Eggplants. Some days I just want a bumper sticker with that written on it. I mean, they are so versatile, absorb taste perfectly and available all year round. I use them often, for example on this Moroccan Bulgur stuffed Eggplant or this Eggplant & Roasted Peppers Salad. I even make sure to always have some eggplant for when I make roasted veggies.
Crispy Baked breaded eggplants
They also make an excellent substitute for vegetarians, for example this breaded eggplant is my vegan/vegetarian go-to meal when I am making Schnitzel. It’s a great success at Picnics!
I used to fry them in oil, but really oven baked ones are so much crispier and healthier, I will never go back to frying.
How to make them
First step is to slice them into thick rings, about 2.5 cm ( 1 inch) thick.
Arrange them on a flat plate and sprinkle with some salt. Turn and do the same on the other side.
Eggplants absorb a lot of oil due to their spongy nature which is caused by the air pockets around the cells. When they are cooked all the oil is absorbed into these air pockets. The salt breaks down the air pockets before we cook them by releasing water from the eggplant into the air pockets preventing the oil from being absorbed as much while cooking. This takes about 30-60 minutes, until you’ll see these water drops on top of the cut eggplant:
Then, make sure to wipe them with a paper towel from both sides to prevent it being too salty. For the dipping, mix up some egg mixture with sweet chilli sauce and yellow mustard. In a seperate bowl pour some breadcrumbs.
(Vegans, replace the eggs with cornflour and water mixture)
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drizzle olive oil, use a brush to brush the oil around the paper. Start breading the eggplants by dipping them into the egg mixture, allowing it to cover it completely from all sides. Then, do the same with the breadcrumbs.
Line them up with a bit of space, and drizzle some olive oil on top
Place in a preheated oven on 180 ℃ (365 ℉) for 25 minutes on one side, and another 15 minutes on the other
Serve directly while still warm and crunchy or cool completely before storing in a plastic container on a paper towel and packing for your picnic.
Let me know if you tried it and how you liked it, I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
- 2 Eggplants
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil (divided)
- 2 Eggs (Vegan version substituted with some cornflour and water 1:1)
- 1 Tbsp Sweet Chili Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Yellow Mustard
- Salt & Pepper
- 200 Grams Breadcrumbs
- 1 Tsp sweet paprika
- Slice the Eggplant into 2.5 cm (1 inch) rounds
- On a large plate, lightly salt each rounds from both sides, let sit for 30-60 minutes until fluids are released
- Preheat oven to 180 ℃ (356 ℉)
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread 1½ tablespoons olive oil on it
- In a bowl, mix together eggs, sweet chilli, mustard, salt and pepper. In a seperate bowl, pour mix in the breadcrumbs and paprika.
- Wipe each eggplant round from both sides with a paper towel to remove salt.
- Dip into the egg mixture and make sure it's covered from both sides, then dip it in the breadcrumbs and coat completely. Continue doing the same for all eggplant rounds and place on the baking sheet.
- Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and place in the oven for 50 minutes until golden brown and crispy (Turn the eggplants once after 25 minutes)
- Eat while still warm, or allow to cool completely before covering to avoid steam from making the eggplants mushy.
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