Today is a fun day for Italians and those who love Italian cuisine and culture! The Italian Association of Arizona is hosting the first-ever Italian Pizza & Wine Festival at Scottsdale City Hall. Even though I wrote my own Italian cookbook, I decided on a recipe for Eggplant Pattie Casserole from an extraordinary cookbook to mark this fun foodie festival! The Modern Family Cookbook is a 900 page compilation of three daily menus for a family of five for an entire year. It was written by a woman named Meta Given who began writing recipes at age 10. As a famed home economist, and food editor for the Chicago Tribune, Given made certain that with each recipe, your family would be well-nourished since all dishes were built around a nutritious dietary plan. But the recipe I really loved is the Eggplant Pattie Casserole. Make or buy your favorite meat or marinara sauce, cook up some pasta and try it for a hearty family meal. Thanks, Italian Association for make today delizioso!
| Servings |
- 1 large or 2 small eggplant(s), peeled
- 1 1/2 cups sweet yellow onion, chopped (approximately 1 large)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 ounces ground beef, pork, chicken or turkey
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese plus more for topping
- 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs plus more for coating
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 8 cups of water plus 1 1/2 teaspoon salt for boiling
- 3-4 cups of pasta sauce of your choice (meat sauce or marinara)
- Parmesan Romano or Mozzarella cheese for topping
Ingredients
| Rate this recipe! |
- Bring 8 cups of water and salt to a boil in a large deep skillet or pot. Peel and slice each eggplant in 4 large slices. Boil for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Remove and place eggplant on paper towel to drain and cool.
- In a frying pan over medium high heat, sauté onions and garlic in 1 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil until soft and ranslucent. Add meat and cook until done, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. Set pan aside for browning patties.
- In a mixing bowl, gently mash eggplant. Add eggs, cheese, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, parsley and meat mixture. Mix and form into 12 patties, about 1 inch thick. Place some breadcrumbs in a bowl and coat patties in breadcrumbs.
- In the frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon butter and one tablespoon oil. Add patties, a few at a time. Gently brown on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side.
- Butter a casserole dish (approximately 8 X 10 or 9 X11). Place patties on bottom of dish. Cover with pasta sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan, Romano or Mozzarella cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Serve over pasta. Serves 6.
