Baked Eggplant and Spinach

For anyone planning to have a baby anytime soon, I highly recommend having a due date at the end of May. There is nothing but fantastic to be had when your maternity leave conveniently lines up with summer.

Until fall shows up and ruins the party, that is.

Alas, the party is over and I am returning to not being home until 7:00 each night. That means it's time for the husband to start making dinner again. That also means it's time for me to remind him to make some of my favorite stuff PLEASE AND THANK YOU.

Start with this, sir. I first posted the recipe in 2011, but it has been one of my favorite dishes for years and years.

Baked Eggplant and Spinach

1 Eggplant, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Spinach (If frozen, use one package. If fresh, use as much as you can fit into a produce bag.)
1 cup marinara sauce
1/2 cup (or more) shredded cheese

Slice the eggplant into 1/3 inch pieces.

Coat each side of the eggplant slices with olive oil and a little sprinkle of salt. Place in the oven under the broiler (low, if you have a choice). You can use a cookie sheet if desired, but I like to put it directly on the rack.

While you're waiting for the eggplant to cook, cook the spinach. I prefer to steam it, but it doesn't really matter.

When the eggplant is lightly browned on top, flip it over and allow the other side to cook. It takes about 5 minutes per side, but oven temperatures vary, so keep an eye on it. (Pro tip: If the eggplant seems a little dry after cooking the first side, feel free to slap some more olive oil on the uncooked side before putting it back into the oven.)

Once the eggplant is lightly browned and softened, remove it from the oven. Place a layer of eggplant in the bottom of an oven safe dish.

Add a layer of cooked spinach.

Add a layer of marinara sauce, and then repeat the layers until you run out of eggplant.

Then look at how amazingly healthy you're being and realize there isn't enough protein happening. Fix that with some shredded cheese on top of your last layer of marinara.

I'm a fan of mozzarella and provolone, but anything works.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until it is warmed all the way through. Then turn the broiler on high and make some quick magic.

Whoever first figured out that burnt cheese is the greatest thing ever deserves a medal. We fight over that stuff at my house.

I like this as a side or a main course exactly as it comes out of the oven. The husband, however, likes to put a huge serving of it on a hoagie roll.

Whatever.

It's good no matter what.

Comments

[ann]

Sounds delicious! I'll be trying this soon.

By putting the eggplant coated in olive oil directly on the oven racks, doesn't that make a bit of a mess? Sometimes I use an oven safe cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet for things like that.

Good luck with your return to work!

[Casey]

I totally want that. Right now.

[Jenna]

Goodness, I'm making this immediately.

[Denna]

We have loved this dish since you posted it in 2011!!! I highly recommend adding a spicy sausage layer for meat eaters!

[hellohahanarf]

oh my...that looks tremendous! want.
#pinned