Eggplant Bites

Ok Shane, here's your eggplant creation. They're easy to make and delicious, I think I will keep the pesto around from now on because I could eat it on just about anything. Recipe is below the photos.

I used two small eggplants: look for skinny uniform Italian or Japanese eggplants rather than the big ones.

For the sundried tomatoes, you have two options: dry or oil packed. I used some of each, so take your pick. The oil packed ones are particularly delicious.

Here's the finished sun-dried tomato pesto. It is quite delicious.

First peel the eggplant, you will want a very sharp vegetable peeler.

Cut it into 1/4" pieces.

Set up a breading station with cornstarch, egg wash, and breadcrumbs in separate bowls.

Happy frying eggplants.

Here's a pile of nice golden brown eggplant rounds cooling.

Make the cheese filling while the eggplant cools. I love this chevre from Vermont Butter and Cheese Company.

Here's the finished goat cheese filling.

Here's a closeup of the finished product. Kinda cute aren't they?

A whole plateful.

Recipe:

For sun-dried tomato pesto:
~1/2 cup oil packed sundried tomatoes or dry sundried tomatoes that have been soaked in scalding water for 10 minutes
2 cloves fresh garlic
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
grated zest from 1/2 lemon
few leaves of basil
~1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil depending on what type of tomatoes you used (use less if you use oil packed)
sea salt and cracked pepper to taste
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

For eggplant:
2 small thin Japanese or Italian eggplants
~1/2 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, well beaten
~1 cup bread crumbs (mine were garlic and herb)
oil for frying

For cheese filling:
1 small package goat cheese (I used vermont butter and cheese company)
few spoonfulls of the tomato pesto
1 tbsp creme fraiche (you could leave this out if you feel it is creamy enough without, but I thought it made it extra unctuous)
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
few leaves chopped basil

Directions:
Put the ingredients for the pesto, except the parmesan, in a food processor and process, pushing down sides as needed, until well blended. Set aside in a bowl and mix in the parmesan. Try not to eat before the eggplant is done.

Peel the eggplants and cut them into 1/4" rounds. Coat the slices in the cornstarch, then dip in egg wash, then coat in breadcrumbs. Fry in hot oil over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Set aside to cool.

Place all ingredients for the goat cheese filling in a bowl and mix until creamy and well blended.

Pair up the eggplant slices by size, put a spoonful of filling between them and top with a dollop of the pesto. Serve with red wine (yes you have to).