Eggplant Pizzas

I love tweaking recipes I find by adding things that I love and that I think will enhance the outcome. Some recipes however are just perfect the way they are and need to be loved as such.
This is one of those recipes.
I've been tempted to tweak it up in different directions but each time I do, I decide against it.
Because truth to be told, there’s not much I can do to make it better.

Deep in the Julia Child archives, past the boeuf bourguignon, coq au vin, aspics, and baked spinach there are recipes so low in bread, butter, bacon, and wine you wonder why French cuisine has been labeled as gluttony.
There are even some completely gluten-free and low carb — I may even start to speculate that Mrs Child was, among other things, a forerunner of the paleo diet.

I discovered these “Tranches d'aubergine á l'italienne” in From Julia Child’s Kitchen, thanks to my good friend Kalyn. She posted the recipe two years ago and I immediately fell in love with it.
I borrowed a copy of Julia Child’s cookbook from mom the day after reading that post, and never returned it (sorry mom!)
The cookbook was published in 1975 and contains recipes and kitchen wisdom that came from episodes of her PBS show.
Compared to Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, in this book the recipes are more accessible yet still distinctive in their execution.
It’s a great cookbook to add to your library, if you want my opinion.

These eggplant pizzas are slices of baked eggplant, topped with marinara sauce and melted cheese.
It’s one of those recipes that completely defies those who claim “sticking to a clean diet is too hard”.
So easy to make, healthy, and delicious, they are really a no-brainer. Not to mention low-carb and kid approved.
Nephew Matt, constantly hungry, said they’re his new favorite post-soccer practice meal.
Which is huge, considering that for 5 very long years the post-training fare consisted of mashed potatoes, grilled chicken, and salad.
Now that’s what I call validation.

Eggplant Pizzas                                                       Print this recipe!
Barely adapted from Julia Child and greatly inspired by KalynsKitchen

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 medium globe eggplant, sliced into ¾-inch thick slices (try to make them as even as possible to they all cook at the same rate)
1 tablespoon fine grain sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
⅓ cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup marinara sauce (or your favorite pizza sauce)

Your favorite pizza toppings (pepperoni, mushrooms, onions, sausage, bacon, black olives, green peppers, etc)

Directions

Put eggplant slices on a layer of paper towels and sprinkle both sides generously with salt.
Let the eggplant slices sit for about 20 minutes to draw out the liquid.
Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC) and place a rack in the middle.
Carefully wipe the eggplant slices dry with paper towels (this removes also the salt.)
Grease a baking sheet with olive oil, lay eggplant slices, and brush the top with olive oil.
Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, cover with foil, and roast in the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden (be careful, you don’t want the slices to become mushy and lose their shape!)
Remove the eggplant slices and turn the oven settings to broil.
Spread a couple of tablespoons of marinara sauce on top of each slice, sprinkle with a generous amount of Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and add your favorite toppings.
Broil until the cheese melts and it’s slightly browned, about 6 to 7 minutes.
Devour!

Nutrition facts

One serving yields 190 calories, 13 grams of fat, 15 grams of carbs, and 7 grams of protein.