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Eggplant and Hummus Towers
I love fried eggplant with all its crunchy golden goodness! I usually make it as a side dish and serve plain pan-fried slices, but I had a bunch of hummus on hand so I created this recipe which was very good indeed. I served as a side, but you could make a meal of it. For extra protein you could add sliced baked tofu or thin-sliced meat of your choice. This recipe makes enough for four towers.
2 large eggplants
Italian breadcrumbs
2 eggs (vegans, use substitute w/same consistency)
splash of milk
salt & pepper
1 8 oz. package of garlic hummus
2 tbsp. sliced sun-dried tomatoes (you can buy these pre-sliced in oil)
Directions
Wash & slice eggplant into ~1/2 inch slices.
Lay the eggplant out & lightly salt (takes away bitterness).
Combine eggs and milk with whisk in bowl large enough to dip eggplant slices in.
Prepare plate with breadcrumbs & seasoning – you can use salt & pepper or any other seasoning you prefer to add to the breadcrumbs for flavor.
Heat about 3 tbsp of olive oil in pan – medium setting.
Work in batches and dip eggplant slices in egg mixture, breadcrumbs, and then sauté in oiled pan. If breadcrumbs seem to be browning quickly, turn heat down.
You will need to continually add olive oil to the pan as eggplant tends to soak up the oil, but be careful not to over-dose the slices, use just enough to get the breadcrumbs nice and crunchy. I cover the pan while it cooks because the steam helps soften the eggplant and will prevent you from having to use too much oil.
Sauté each side for about 5 minutes until eggplant is soft & coating is crunchy. You can press down on each slice with your spatula to tell how soft it is and help distribute the oil.
Lay the slices down on paper towels to cool.
Meanwhile, combine hummus and sun-dried tomato slices in a bowl.
Now make your towers, stack one slice eggplant and then one tbsp. hummus mixture in middle of slice, repeat for about 4-5 layers. After each layer, press down with spatula to distribute hummus.
Enjoy!
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