VARUNI NAPOLI’S EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Ragu:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive

oil

1/4 large onion, peeled and left

in one piece

1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano

whole tomatoes 4 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Italian tomato paste

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh

basil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Prepare Ragu: In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute on all sides, about 3 minutes total.

Push tomatoes through a ricer or pulse in a food processor to an almost smooth consistency.

Add to saucepan and stir in tomato paste, basil and salt. Cook mixture over low heat 15 minutes.

Remove onion. Continue cooking 15 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Be careful not to scorch the mixture. When the mixture is smooth, thick and dark red in color it is done. Remove from heat and set aside. Season to taste. While sauce is cooking, prepare eggplant.

Using a mandoline, cut eggplant into 1/8-inch thick pieces. Place in large bowl. In a 2-cup measuring cup, combine water and salt and stir to dissolve. Pour over eggplant and add enough water to cover the slices. Soak for 40 minutes. Drain eggplant and dry each piece.

In a large skillet, heat ¼inch layer of safflower oil over medium-high heat. Saute eggplant slices on both sides until light golden brown and tender, about 2 minutes per side. Do not crowd skillet. Set slices aside to drain and continue frying until all slices are cooked.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Lightly grease four heatproof baking dishes wide and large enough to hold one slice of eggplant.

Spread ¼ cup Ragu Sauce on the bottom of each baking dish. Lay one full slice of eggplant across Ragu.

Cut four pieces of eggplant in half lengthwise and place them on top of the full piece at a 90 degree angle. Top each stack with ¼ cup Ragu Sauce, sprinkle with Pecorino Romano and mozzarella.

Repeat layers: full slice, two half pieces, Ragu and cheeses. Place baking dishes in oven for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven, top each with ¼ cup Ragu, sprinkle with additional Pecorino Romano and top with one basil leaf. Cool slightly before serving. Serves: 4 Per serving: 362 calories (percent of calories from fat, 62), 14 grams protein, 22 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 26 grams fat (9 grams saturated), 43 milligrams cholesterol, 1,728 milligrams sodium.

CONTRIBUTED BY HENRI HOLLIS Eggplant Parmesan:1 (1 1/2 pound) eggplant, stemremoved, not peeled2 cups water plus more to covereggplant2 tablespoons salt Safflower oil, for fryingeggplantReserved Ragu6 tablespoons grated PecorinoRomano, plus extra for