After an unusually long streak of traveling, I am looking forward to staying put, to sleeping in my own bed, and most importantly, to cooking in my own kitchen. At least for a little while. In spite of having some really great meals in restaurants as well as (over) indulging my love of fresh Maine lobster over the course of three days, there is something incredibly comforting about being able to sit down at your own table and enjoy a meal made with one's own hands. Even if that meal is nothing more than a bowl of oatmeal topped with blueberries, poached eggs served over a toasted English muffin, or a sliced Honey Crisp apple and a generous wedge of Brie cheese. As ambitious as my cooking and baking can sometimes be, every now and then I like to scale it back, way, way back. So when I came across a recipe for baked Eggplant Parmesan Fries, I was convinced the forces in the universe were conspiring together to keep me from going into cooking overdrive. And reminding me deliciousness doesn't need to be complicated.
On a recent trip out east, a day was spent on Martha's Vineyard. The sunny, blue sky day was going to be a perfect backdrop to the hundreds of photos I had planned to take. Instead of spending the majority of the day capturing the Vineyard's beauty with my camera, it was spent going on an almost two hour, up-hill, getting lost at least twice, exhausting, bicycle ride through the center of the island. Every now and then I don't listen to myself and veer off in an unplanned direction, sometimes for the right reason, and sometimes for all of the wrong ones. The universe must have been paying attention to some of the disappointment I was feeling as it somehow contrived to ensure my path crossed with another passionate amateur photographer (although she might best be described as a very accomplished amateur). The day after meeting her I opened my email to discover she had sent me some of the photos she had taken along with links to a lens I had been coveting and a youtube video on a way to optimize the use of my camera. Unbeknownst to her, this gesture was a reminder the value simple, unselfish kindnesses have on one's heart.
If there was ever a recipe to represent both simplicity and kindness, these Eggplant Parmesan Fries with Marinara might be a good example. The preparation and assembly of the fries could not be easier. And the marinara sauce doesn't even need to be homemade. But if you must, this marinara sauce is my hands down favorite. Have I told you yet these fries are baked? I don't think I have. Dipped in an egg white and tomato paste wash and rolled in a Panko and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese mixture, they are baked until golden and crispy. So where does kindness come in? Considering they may be one of the 'healthiest' fries to ever to have crossed my lips, their deliciousness tantalized my taste buds without tacking on any more inches to my hips. If my body could talk I am certain it would thank me for giving it something incredibly scrumptious, low-calorie, and low in fat.
When shopping for eggplant, I usually buy the Italian variety. Having a deep shade of mauve-purple, it is generally smaller and more oval in shape than the regular eggplant variety. However, I couldn't resist buying the Sicilian (or sometimes called Zebra or Graffiti) eggplant this time. They were the right size, had a good firmness to them, and were slightly less seedless. Making them the perfect choice for the Parmesan Fries.
The recipe for the Eggplant Parmesan Fries called for cutting them into 1/4 inch sticks, however, I cut them slightly thicker. For a longer lasting, crispier fry, the eggplant should probably be cut closer to the 1/4 inch recommendation. Eggplant is one of the vegetables having a lot of moisture, so the thicker the eggplant sticks are sliced, the less crispy they will remain. If you are serving them immediately and want to taste the flavor of the eggplant, definitely cut them closer to the 1/3 or 1/2 inch stick size and adjust baking time accordingly.
The sticks are first dipped into a wash made with egg whites, water and tomato paste. Then rolled in a Panko and Parmigiano-Reggiano mixture. The original recipe called for using whole wheat bread crumbs (which you could certainly do), but I thought the Panko would give the fries an even better crunch and finished look. And they did.
Before placing the Eggplant Parmesan Fries in a preheat 400 degree (F) oven, they are sprayed with olive oil and given a light sprinkling of sea salt (or kosher salt). Baking time ranges from 25-30 minutes depending on the thickness of the fry.Your favorite jarred or homemade marinara sauce (warmed) is the absolute perfect and healthy accompaniment.
There is so much flavor in these fries no one will ever suspect you had their best 'health' interests at heart. At least until you bring out a platter of cookies or another of your favorite to make and serve desserts. Happy first day of autumn!
Eggplant Parmesan Fries with Marinara (inspired by the Eggplant Parm Fries shared in the March/April 2015 Weight Watchers magazine)
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds Sicilian or regular Italian eggplant (2-3 eggplant depending on size)
3 large egg whites
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
3 Tablespoons water
1 1/2 cups panko (plain) (or whole wheat bread crumbs)
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Sea Salt (or kosher salt) for sprinkling
Olive oil spray
1 - 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. Trim and peel eggplant. Cut lengthwise into half inch slices. Cut each slice (lengthwise) into 1/2 inch sticks. Then cut each stick in half (lengthwise) again.
3. Whisk together egg whites, tomato paste and water in a shallow bowl.
4. Combine panko and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in another shallow bowl.
5. Dip each eggplant stick into egg white mixture and turn to coat. Gently shake off excess. Place in panko-cheese mixture, turning to coat. Place on prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining eggplant sticks. Note: Make sure the eggplant sticks/fries do not touch or overlap with one another on the baking sheet.
6. Lightly spray dipped and coated eggplant sticks/fries with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt.
7. Bake until fries are golden brown and crunchy. Approximately 25-30 minutes.
8. Heat up marinara sauce.
9. Transfer baked eggplant fries to a wire rack and allow to set for 2-3 minutes.
10. Serve immediately on a platter with a bowl of the warmed marinara sauce.
Note: Eggplant contains a lot of moisture, so if left out, the eggplant fries will lose some of their crispiness. To re-crisp, place in a preheated 350 degree oven.
Views from Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island in Maine on a sunny day in September.
