Caz and I are on the Atkins Diet. We've really fought hard to keep the carbs out of our recipes, so my eggplant parm got a makeover too. Since flour and bread crumbs are a no no, Caz suggested crushing pork rinds for the coating. It not only worked, but it was out of this world delicious. This Italian favorite is a home run remake. Give it a try soon. Do it!
Ingredients:
Oil
1 eggplant, peeled and sliced (you will need 6 slices medium thin so they will cook tender)
1 large bag pork rinds
3 eggs
2 Roma tomatoes (You can use a large can of crushed tomatoes)
1 can tomato sauce (We did not use this due to carbs)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 bell pepper. chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (we used more : ) divided in two
2 to 3 ounces ounces grated Parmesan cheese, divided in two
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Wash, peel and slice eggplant.
Add pork rinds to food processor and pulse until rinds are roughly crushed. Not pulverized and no big pieces. You can also pound rinds by hand if you prefer.PLace crumbs in a plate and set aside.
Beat egg in a small bowl and pour into a deep dish suitable for dredging. Set aside.
In the processor, add tomatoes, garlic, bell pepper, onion and Italian spices. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pulse until you have a thick-ish sauce. Pour into a bowl and stir in the can of tomato sauce. Set aside.
Heat enough oil in a frying pan to fry six slices of eggplant. About 1/4 inch of oil. Dredge eggplant slices into the egg mixture and then into the crushed pork rinds. Coat evenly and fry in the hot oil until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.
Oil a casserole dish and ladle a few spoons of sauce. Enough to coat the bottom of the casserole. Place three slices of fried eggplant in the dish. Cover with sauce, 1/2 of the mozzarella and 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese. Add the remaining three slices of eggplant and the remainder of the sauce and cheeses. Bake at 325 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbling.
