Eggplant Parmigiana

                     Eggplant Parmigiana is one of my husband's favorite Italian dishes. He always wants to order it, especially at Olive Garden, but since we usually share the entrees and I don't like eggplants, he can't order it most of the time. So I made a plan to make it for him.
                   The Eggplant Parmigiana that you get in restaurants are extremely greasy and cheesy and so I decided to try to instead bake it without oil and minimal cheese. Also, traditional Eggplant Parmigiana recipes use egg yolks to stick the bread crumbs to the eggplants, but since we don't eat eggs, I used rice flour paste instead.
                  So, here is a healthier version of the Olive garden styled Eggplant Parmigiana. Hope you all like it.

Ingredients:

• 1 big Eggplant
• 1 cup Bread Crumbs
• 1 tsp Black Pepper powder
• 1 tsp Basil leaves
• 1 tsp Parsley leaves
• 1/2 tsp Lemon Pepper Seasoning
• 1 cup Marinara Sauce
• Salt to taste
• 4 tbsp Rice flour
• 1/4 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (Optional)

Instructions:

• Take the bread crumbs in the bowl. Add salt, pepper, basil leaves, parsley leaves and lemon pepper and mix it well. Keep it aside.

• Slice the eggplant into slices, of about 1/2 inch width.
• Sprinkle some salt and pepper on both sides of eggplant and place them on the baking tray.

• Roast the eggplants in pre-heated oven for about 15 minutes at 400 F. 
• In the mean time, dissolve the rice flour in 1/2 cup water and make it like thin paste.
• Place the rice flour paste and bread crumbs mix next to each other.

• Once the eggplants are well done, remove them from oven.
• Soak the roasted eggplants in the rice flour paste to wet them nicely and then dip them in the bread crumbs mix. 

• Make sure the eggplants are coated properly on both sides.
• Continue the same process for all the eggplants and again place them on the baking tray

• Cover the tray with the foil and bake again for 20 minutes at 400F.
• Once it is done, spread about 1-2 spoons of marinara sauce on each slice. You may use as much sauce as you want, but excess sauce may make it a bit soggy.
• Sprinkle some cheese on top of it.

• And bake uncovered for another 2-3 minutes, till the cheese is nicely melted
• Serve hot and enjoy.