Eggplant Parmesan (Weight Watchers)
Thick, roasted eggplants, nestled cozily in a rustic tomato sauce, blanketed by breadcrumbs and parmesan. It's the tastiest figurative bed one can hope to dream on.- SmartPoints: 4 per serving - adapted from: Weight Watchers
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 2 lbs - Egglplant 1/2 inch slices
- 1 tsp - Thyme chopped
- 3/4 tsp - Salt divided
- 1/4 tsp - Ground Pepper
Sauce
- 3 tsp - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 each - Shallots, large finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 Tbsp - Garlic chopped
- pinch - Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 each - Whole Plum Tomatoes 28 oz can
Ricotta Mixture
- 3/4 cup - Part-Skim Ricotta Cheese
- 6 Tbsp - Parmesan Cheese grated
- 1/4 cup - Fresh Basil chopped
Topping
- 2 Tbsp - Panko Bread Crumbs
- 1/2 cup - Shredded Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425, line 2 large sheets with parchment/foil.
- Slice the eggplants and line them up on the sheet trays. Coat them evenly and lightly with oil, then season with thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and ground pepper, and press the seasonings in. Flip the eggplant slices over, and repeat on other side.
- Roast until golden brown and tender, about 20-25 minutes. Turn the eggplants and rotate the pans halfway through.
- While eggplants are roasting, heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Add shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes, cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and 1/4 tsp of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, while breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon. Reduce heat to medium, and cook uncovered until thickened. About 20 minutes.
- In a bowl, stir together the ricotta, 4 tablespoons of parmesan, basil, and 1/4 tsp salt.
- In ANOTHER bowl, stir together the panko and remaining 2 tablespoons of parmesan.
- Coat a 10 inch square baking dish with nonstick spray. For the first layer: Spread 1/2 cup sauce in bottom of dish, and top with a single layer of eggplant. Dot eggplant with 1/2 cup of the ricotta mixture, then and top evenly with 1/4 cup of mozzarella. For the second layer: A single layer of eggplant, 1 cup of sauce, and remaining 1/2 cup ricotta mixture. For the last layer: Layer remaining eggplant, 1/4 cup of mozzarella, and remaining sauce. Sprinkle top with the panko mixture.
- Bake on the upper rack until top is golden and sauce is bubbly, about 15 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- I tend to use a little more salt than normal people. So don't feel bad if you feel like you have to use more according to your tastes.
- You can use dried thyme instead of fresh. But try to use fresh basil for the ricotta mixture.
- If you don't have or can't find shallots, don't be afraid to use the more common, less fancy cousin of the shallot - an onion.
- When dotting the ricotta mixture, don't be afraid to try and spread it around a bit.
