Many of you have asked for Lydie's Eggplant recipe, so I have typed it.  Please note that she is particular about how the tomato sauce is made and I don't have that recipe here, so I will post it next week when I get home.

Happy cooking!

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Serves 6:

3 cups tomato sauce

2 lbs eggplant, white or Japanese, cut in ¼-inch slices

½ cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups vegetable oil

4 oz Parmesan cheese, grated

2 tablespoon homemade breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons butter

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Prepare the tomato sauce and while it is cooking, deep fry the eggplants.  To speed up the frying, she uses 2 large cast iron skillets.  Pour 1 cup of oil in each skillet and heat at moderate temperature.

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Line two cookie sheets with double thick paper towels and have them ready when frying.

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Dip a few slices of eggplant into the flour at a time, shake off the excess and lightly fry them on each side; turning them over with tongs. Transfer the fried eggplant to the prepared cookie sheets. Pat them dry to get rid of excess greese.  Divide them into three mounds.

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Brush 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a 2-quart round or rectangular oven casserole about 15-inches in diameter.  Pour 4 tablespoons of tomato sauce at the bottom of the dish and scatter 1/3 of the cheese.  Overlap the first layer of eggplants so they don't leave any open space; sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of salt over them.  Repeat procedure w/ tomato sauce, cheese, eggplant, etc.  Top with homemade breadcrumbs and drizzle one more tablespoon of butter over the breadcrumbs.  

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At this point you can either cover and refrigerate or bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Serve right away.

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If you refrigerate, bring it to room temp. before baking.