SERVES:
4

INGREDIENTS:

four 6 -8 inch Italian style sub rolls

approx. 1/2 medium eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds

approx. 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2-3 large eggs, beaten
approx. 1-2 cups dried breadcrumbs (start with less and add more as needed)

olive oil or vegetable oil for frying eggplant (add more as needed...it'll absorb some as it cooks)

approx. 1 - 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce (see hints below)
approx. 1 - 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
approx. 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

PROCEDURE:

Set up a 3 bowl dredging station with the all-purpose flour in one, 2-3 beaten eggs in another and the dried breadcrumbs in the third.

Peel eggplant and slice it crosswise into 1/2-inch thick pieces and dredge each piece first in the flour, then lightly in the egg and finally in the breadcrumbs....placing them onto a clean plate as you go.

Next, add a good splash of olive oil or vegetable oil to a large nonstick pan on medium to medium high heat and cook the eggplant until it's lightly browned on both sides and cooked through.

Add more oil to the pan as you need too and then take the eggplant out of the pan and drain it on paper towels as you go.

At some point while you're cooking the eggplant, heat up a little marinara sauce on the stovetop and also slice the rolls most of the way through, open them up and then lightly brown them underneath the broiler.

The bread will only take a minute or so to brown up and then spoon some of the warm marinara sauce over the top of those.

Top the bottom half of each sandwich roll with some cooked eggplant and top everything with grated mozzarella cheese and grated parmesan cheese and place the tray back underneath the broiler to melt the cheese and warm everything through.

HINTS:

Spoon more marinara over sandwich as needed before eating. Try using some very thinly sliced fresh mozzarella cheese too.