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Fried eggplant with tomato sauce
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5 from 2 votes

Fried eggplant with tomato sauce (Μελιτζάνες τηγανητές με σάλτσα ντομάτας )

An incredible Greek side dish of fried eggplant which is then baked in a rich tomato sauce
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Appetizer, meze, Side Dish
Cuisine: Greek
Servings: 4 people
Author: Mia Kouppa

Equipment

  • Frying pan
  • Roasting pan

Ingredients

  • 5 small to medium eggplants
  • 1 tsp salt
  • vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 cup Mia Kouppa's chunky tomato sauce or marinara sauce see Note
  • 3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary leaves

Instructions

  • Wash the eggplants, remove the stems and cut them length-wise into wedges. Place your eggplants in a bowl and cover them with cold water. Place another bowl or a dish over your eggplant in order to keep them submerged in the water. Allow to soak for about 5 minutes.
  • Drain the eggplant and then sprinkle them with 1 tsp of salt.
  • Heat about 1/4 inch of vegetable oil in your frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, start adding the pieces of eggplant. In order not to overcrowd your pan you may need to add them in batches. Fry each side of the eggplants until they are golden brown on all sides. This will take a total of about 7-8 minutes per batch. You might have to add a little bit of fresh vegetable oil in between batches.
  • Place the fried eggplants onto a plate. Continue cooking the rest until all of your eggplant has been fried.
  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Take a small sauce pot, and heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic slices and fry them for about 1 minute. Add your chunky tomato sauce or your marinara sauce and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat through, stirring regularly, for just a few minutes.
  • While your sauce is being warmed up, place your eggplants in a roasting dish (we use a 9 X 13 inch roasting dish) and sprinkle your dried rosemary leaves on top of them.
  • Spoon your marinara sauce over the eggplant pieces. You will not be covering them entirely,
  • Place in the middle rack of your oven, and bake uncovered for 5 - 7 minutes.
  • Enjoy.

Notes

This recipe calls for chunky tomato sauce, and you can find our recipe for this by clicking here.
Alternatively, you can use a marinara sauce that you either purchase, or one that you have made yourself.  If you're looking for a marinara sauce recipe, you can find ours here.