Eggplant Risotto (This is Egg-cellent!)

This is an excellent italian dish. It is also a vegetarian option.

Yields 6-8 servings
Cook Time (with prep): 1 hour, 45 minutes

To prep the eggplant, you will need:
2 large eggplant
flour
olive oil (for frying)

For the sauce:
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion - thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
16 ounces of canned whole tomatoes, chopped with the juice
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
2 tablespoons of basil leaves (cut chiffonade aka long thin strips)
salt/pepper

For the risotto:
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of minced onion
2 cups of arborio rice
4-6 cups of warm chicken stock
1/4 cup of grated aged provolone cheese

To Assemble:
3/4 cup of grated provolone cheese
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese (optional)
1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese (optional)
1/4 cup of basil (chiffonade / thin strips)

Personally, I am a follower of "the more cheese the better" mantra. You do not have to put the parm and mozzarella in the dish, but you can, by all means top the dish with these and also, add more if you are a cheese lover, like me. (I have some roots in Wisconsin.)

Directions:
There is more preparation with the actual eggplant than you would expect. To begin, slice the eggplants lengthwise and then across, then add a pinch of salt to both sides of each piece. Let the eggplant pieces sit out on a paper towel for 30-60 minutes to release some of the moisture. When this period has concluded, rinse the eggplant and pat them dry with paper towels. Now they are ready to go!

Now that the eggplant is ready, heat a pan at medium heat and add olive oil. Flour your eggplant (both sides) and once the pan is hot and ready, fry your eggplant in batches until they are golden brown on both sides. Add olive oil to your pan as needed. Once through, set the eggplant pieces on a papertowel to drain.

Then, you will want to prepare your sauce. Heat the pan at medium, then add olive oil. Saute an onion for 3-4 minutes (until soft). Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Then, add your tomatoes and bring the mixture to a boil. Once it begins to boil, move the heat back to simmer and cook at this heat for 25 minutes to blend the flavors. At the conclusion of this, add parsley, basil and salt and pepper to taste.

Now you want to make your risotto. Preheat your oven to 425. Heat the olive oil in medium-high heat in a large, heavy saute pan. Saute the minced onion for 2 minutes. Add your rice and saute for 2 minutes. Then, you will want to add your stock, but only adding 1/2 cup at a time. You will need to stir frequently. Make sure the stock is fully absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. Once the rice is al dente, remove it from the heat. Then, stir in your grated provolone and add salt and pepper to taste.

Now it is time to assemble the dish. This is very similar to a lasagna. Brush the bottom of your pan with olive oil. Then, lay 1/3 of your eggplant pieces over the bottom of the pan. Then, spread half of the risotto over the eggplant pieces. Then, add half of the sauce. Then, add half of the cheese (in the "To Assemble" ingredient list). Add cheese to your own delight. Top this first stage of assembly with five torn basil leaves.

Stage 2 of assembly involves repeating all steps in stage one: (1) eggplant, (2) risotto, (3) sauce, (4) cheese (+basil leaves).

Finally, top with the remaining eggplant slices and the rest of the cheese. Here is where you can have fun with the cheese. See what is in your fridge and play with the recipe a little bit. Again, I and most people appreciate a lot of cheese. Stick with italian blends (no cheddar, american, blue, goat, and I would stay away from swiss). I am thinking mozzarella, parm and of course the provolone. But, some people just want to stick solely with the provolone, and that is fine too. Bake 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.

Bon Appetit!