Instructions: Broiled eggplant makes for quicker and lighter Parmesan dish.

This Neapolitan dish is made with slices of eggplant baked in a rich tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese. I learned to make it when I stayed at a villa in Italy. The recipe came from the Italian cook.

Normally, this dish requires the time-consuming step of frying the eggplant before its baked. Ive created this quick version by broiling the slices instead. It makes the dish much lighter than fried or sauteed eggplant, which tends to soak up a lot of oil.

Crumbled goat cheese is added to the base of nonfat ricotta cheese. Using the nonfat ricotta mixed with a more flavorful cheese provides flavor without adding a lot of fat calories.

Note: Crumbled goat cheese is sold in the dairy case of most markets.

Any type of goat, feta or cheddar cheese can be used.

Buy good quality Parmesan cheese and ask the market to grate it for you. Or chop it yourself in the food processor. Freeze extra for quick use.

Any type of pasta can be used.

The ingredients for this dish can be prepared and assembled in the baking dish in advance and then broiled when needed.

Procedure:
Preheat broiler.

Place water for pasta on to boil.

Broil eggplant.

Mix cheeses.

Assemble eggplant Parmesan dish and place under broiler.

Boil linguine.

Rich tomato sauce and cheese call for a nice, red chianti.

Eggplant Parmesan over Linguine
Olive oil spray

1 pound eggplant, cut into 1/4 inch slices Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup low-fat, low-salt tomato sauce
1 cup fresh arugula, torn into large pieces 1 cup nonfat ricotta cheese
2 ounces ( 1/2 cup) crumbled goat cheese 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 pound fresh linguine
2 teaspoons olive oil

Heat the broiler. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray with olive-oil spray. Cut the eggplant into 1/4 inch slices; arrange in a single layer on baking sheet and spray with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Place in broiler about 3 inches from heat. Broil 4 minutes; turn and broil 4 minutes more. Remove from broiler.

Spoon a layer of sauce into the bottom of an 8- or 9 inch pie plate. Place a layer of eggplant slices over the sauce and place half the arugula leaves over the eggplant. Mix ricotta and goat cheeses and spoon over the arugula. Repeat layering with the sauce, eggplant, arugula and cheese mixture. End with a layer of cheeses. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Broil 10 minutes or until sauce is bubbly and cheese melted.

Place linguine in boiling water for 3 minutes (9 minutes if using dry linguine). Drain and toss with 2 teaspoons olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Place linguine on dinner plates and serve Eggplant Parmesan on top.

Makes
2 servings.

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