More Things to Do With Eggplants

Thank you for the wonderful eggplant recipes (“The Fried and the Prejudice,” Sept. 10). I planted eggplants this year and ended up with about 25. Since I live on the Westside, it was not very hot, so they were not very big, about 3/4 to 1 pound each.

I gave away many, but developed a recipe for crispy, non-fried eggplant, which I think is delicious.

HELEN WITTNER

Williewit@aol.com

HELEN WITTNER EGGPLANT

These should be fairly low in fat but taste very good, almost as good as frying, but healthier. For the flour and bread crumbs, I use plastic bags and the “shake” method to coat the eggplant--it’s easier and cleaner. Instead of using bread crumbs alone to coat the eggplant, you can use mashed Rice Krispies or Corn Flakes crumbs.

1 eggplant, peeled and cut into 2- to 3-inch spears

Flour

1 egg

2 tablespoons water

Salt, pepper

1 teaspoon chopped basil (fresh or dried)

1 teaspoon chopped oregano

1 teaspoon chopped parsley

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 cup fine dry bread crumbs

2 tablespoons olive oil

Olive oil-flavored nonstick cooking spray

Dredge eggplant through flour, set aside.

Combine egg and water to make wash. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Mix basil, oregano, parsley, garlic and bread crumbs.

Put flour-coated eggplant into egg wash, then into bread crumb mixture.

Spread olive oil on jellyroll pan. Heat oiled pan in 400-degree oven until oil is almost smoking, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Place breaded eggplant on pan and spray with olive-oil flavored nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees about 20 minutes, then turn eggplant, spray with nonstick spray and bake another 20 minutes.