Eggplant Sandwiches
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 2
RecipeTips.com

Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant
- 1/2 pound ground meat: beef, lamb, or turkey
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice or cinnamon
- 1/4 cup olive oil, divided (or as needed)
- 1 cup pasta sauce, purchased or home-made (use more if you wish)
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese (about 4 oz.)
- salt and pepper 
 
Using eggplant in place of bread is colorful, tasty - and a great way to eat more veggies! Use
chopped left-over meat in place of ground meat if you wish - ham is especially good. Or make a
vegetarian version using 8 oz. sauteed mushrooms in place of meat. Improvise!
 

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Directions
  • Start grill.
  • Slice unpeeled eggplant about 3/8" thick, lengthwise.
  • Season ground
    meat with 1/2 teaspoon salt, a few grinds of fresh pepper and 1/8 teaspoon allspice or cinnamon.
    Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet and cook the meat, stirring to break into small pieces, until
    no trace of pink remains, about 5 minutes. Pour off - or blot up - any accumulated fat, and add
    pasta sauce. Stir to mix well, taste for seasoning, and set aside.
  • Brush or spray eggplant
    slices lightly with olive oil. Salt very lightly and grill 5 - 7 minutes per side, until done
    (soft inside, a bit crisp outside). See TIP
  • To assemble the sandwiches: reheat the meat sauce
    if necessary; it should be quite warm. For each sandwich, put one eggplant slice for the
    bottom, add a generous layer of sauce and 1/4 of the cheese. Repeat. and top with an eggplant
    slice. Serve warm.
  • TIP: you will need only the 6 largest center slices for the sandwiches,
    but grill all slices and reserve any extra for another use.


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