Ingredients:
Dough:
1 Tsp Active Dry Yeast (1 package contents)
3/4 Cup of warm water (should be between 100 - 105 degrees F)
2 1/2 Cups of White Flour
1/2 Cup of Whole Wheat Flour
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 Tsp of Sugar
Eggplant:
1 Whole baby eggplant (Roughly 5 - 6")
1 cup white flour
1 pint of egg beaters (separate 2 - 3 Tbsp and mix with water for egg wash)
2 cup of italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 cup of panko breadcrumbs
3 cups of Joe's Homemade Pasta Sauce (divided - 1, 2)
12 oz of Mozzarella Cheese
8 oz Ricotta Cheese
* Parmesan Cheese (unmeasured)
* Olive Oil (unmeasured)
* Corn meal (unmeasured)
Preparation:
In a stand mixer, mix together yeast and water until bubbles form (indicating the yeast is active). Once well blended, add in flour, 1 Tbsp of oil, salt and sugar. Mix together with a dough hook until a solid ball forms. (if its too sticky add additional white flour, if not sticky enough add water). Once The dough ball has formed and is not sticky, let the ball rise in a large covered bowl in a warm dry place for about 1 hour.
Peel the eggplant and slice 1/8 lengthwise. You will need 3 shallow dishes: in one shallow dish, distribute flour evenly, in the second, empty entire carton of egg beaters, and in the third mix together both breadcrumbs. Dip the eggplant slices in the flour, then egg, then pat well in the breadcrumbs to ensure complete coating.
Heat broiler on high. Using a stoneware pan, drizzle with olive oil and place down one layer of the breaded eggplant. Drizzle more on the exposed side of the eggplant and place in the broiler until crispy. Depending on your oven, this may vary in time, the best gauge is to look every 2 - 3 minutes and flip when they have just started to brown and before they burn. When done, remove from pan and let rest/oil drip on paper towels. Wipe down the oil from the stoneware pan but do not allow to completely cool.
In a 2 quart saucepan, heat up pasta sauce and shred the Mozzarella cheese.
Cooking:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Stretch the dough out on a flat surface into a rectangular shape that matches the stoneware pan. Once it is the appropriate size, flip one side onto the other and coat the surface that it will contact with corn meal so it can easily be transferred. Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce on the bottom approximately 3/4 of an inch from the edges and only to the center line of the dough. Add a layer of mozzarella cheese onto the sauce and layer in a row of eggplant again keeping the edges 3/4 of an inch from the edges of the dough. On top of the eggplant, spread a 1/4 inch layer of ricotta cheese followed by another layer of eggplant, sauce and cheese.
Using the egg wash that was set aside, brush the edges of the dough and fold over stretching as needed to cover the eggplant layers until sealed (similar to a calzone). Transfer to the stoneware pan (corn meal side down) and make shallow slices across the top (similar to how you would see on a loaf of french bread). Brush the surface with the egg wash and sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese. Put in the oven and repeat egg wash every 3 - 4 minutes until golden brown.
Serving:
Remove from the pan and slice width wise with a large knife. Serve with remaining pasta sauce for dipping. `
