Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Intimidated by Eggplant

Our friends Ed and Sarah told us about an eggplant parmesan recipe that women eat to induce labor. I'm intrigued. If you're old enough to read this, you're old enough to know that I have ZERO domestic skills, including in the kitchen; so I'm not sure I'm going to try this. But I was curious enough to track down the recipe on the internet, and I'm posting it here because (a) I might want to try this in a few days, and (b) anyone who reads this who has more confidence or bravery in the kitchen than I do at the moment may find it useful. So, copied and pasted info below.

For more than twenty years, women have gone to Scalini's Italian restaurant in Cobb County, Georgia, with one thing on their minds: To go into labor. They always order the Eggplant Parmesan, which, so far, has helped encourage more than 300 babies to come into the world within 48 hours of their mom eating the meal.
The restaurant promises results within two days. If you haven't had your baby by then, expectant moms get a gift certificate for another try.
The chefs at Scalini's shared their recipe with us. If it doesn't work, sorry, there's no gift certificate -- but you can use the recipe again, absolutely free of charge. (For best results, don't try it until your due date.)
Eggplant Parmesan alla Scalini's Ingredients:3 medium size eggplants1 cup of flour6 eggs, beaten4 cups fine Italian bread crumbs, seasonedOlive oil for sautéing8 cups of marinara sauce*1/2 cup of grated Romano cheese1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese1/2 lbs of mozzarella cheese shredded2 cups of ricotta cheese

Instructions:After you wash the eggplant, slice them into 1/4 inch thick slices. You may choose to peel the eggplant before you slice it, however you may want to leave the skin on since the skin contains a lot of vitamins. Place the eggplant slices on a layer of paper towels and sprinkle with a little salt, then cover with another layer of paper towels and hold it down with something heavy. This will drain the excess moisture. Let them set for about an hour.
Working with one slice of eggplant at a time, dust with flour, then dip in beaten eggs, then coat well with bread crumbs. Saute' in preheated olive oil on both sides until golden brown.
In baking dish, alternate layers of marinara sauce, eggplant slices, ricotta, parmesan, and romano cheeses, until you fill the baking dish about an 1/8 inch from the top. Cover with shredded mozzarella cheese and bake for 25 minutes in 375 degree oven. Let set for 10 minutes before serving.
Scalini's Marinara Sauce 2 tablespoons of chopped garlic3 tablespoons of olive oil8 cups chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)1 cup onions chopped1/2 cup of fresh chopped parsley1 teaspoon of oregano1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper1/8 cup of fresh chopped sweet basilPinch of thymePinch of rosemaryOne teaspoon salt One teaspoon black pepper
Lightly sauté the onions in olive oil in large pot for a few minutes. Add garlic and saute' another minute. Add tomatoes and bring sauce to boil, then turn heat to low. Add remaining ingredients, stir, cover and let simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.
Source