Title: Eggplant Parmesan *Reduced-Fat*
Categories: Eggplant Diet Vegetarian
Yield: 1 Servings

2	tb	Red wine
1	md	Onion; chopped
2	lg	Garlic cloves; pressed or minced
1	md	To large bell pepper; choppe
		Freshly ground black pepper
4	c	Tomatoes; peeled & chopped
1/2	ts	Salt or to taste; plus extra for salting eggplant
1	tb	Fresh basil; minced
1	ts	Fresh oregano; minced
1/2	ts	Fresh thyme; minced
1	tb	Fresh parsley; minced
1	lg	Eggplant; about 2 lbs.
		To 1/3 c water or veg stock
		To 1 c dry whole-grain bread crumbs
3/4	c	Part-skim mozzarella cheese coarsely grated
		To 1/2 c freshly grated parmesan cheese

Heat wine in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and saute onion over moederate heat for several minutes. Add garlic and bell pepper and saute until vegetables are tender. Season with black pepper and saute briefly. Add tomatoes, cover and cook over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until they juice. Uncover pot, stir in 1/2 tsp salt and simmer gently for about 1 hours, until sauce thickens. Add fresh herbs and simmer a few minutes longer. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Remove from heat. Peel eggplant, then cut crosswise into 1/2" slices. Layer in a colander, lightly sprinkling salt between layers. Cover with a plate and set a 2- to 3-pound weight, such as a pot of water, on top. Leave 30 minutes or longer, then rinse and pat dry. Preheat oven to 350F. Dip eggplant slices in water or vegetable stock and then in bread crumbs until well coated. Spray a large baking sheet with nonfat cooking spray and arrange breaded slices on it. Bake about 30 minutes, until eggplant is tender and crumbs are crisp. Spray bottom and sides of an 8" square baking dish with nonfat cooking spray. Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom and arrange half the eggplant slices on top. Scatter about 1/3 of the mozzarella over the eggplant, spread on a thicker layer of sauce than the first one and sprinkle on h alf the parmesan. Repeat layers, beginning with eggplant and ending with parmesan. Bake, covered, at 350F for about 30 minutes, until heated through. Uncover, scatter on remaining mozzarella and bake about 10 minutes longer, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven, let sit a few minutes and serve hot. Makes 4 generous servings. HELPFUL HINT: To easily peel fresh tomatoes, briefly immerse in boiling water; then plunge into cold water, drain and peel. VARIATION: Substitute half as much dried basil, oregano and thyme for fresh herbs; add to the saute near the end of cooking.

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