Egg Plant Parmesan (Serves 2-4)

Ingredients:
1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/8 inch planks (yielding about 10 planks)
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
¼ cup olive oil
4-5 slices provolone cheese
¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 cups of your favorite marinara sauce, seasoned with fresh basil and parsley

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350oF. Season both sides of the eggplant planks with salt and pepper. Let them rest to draw out some of the bitterness. Coat the eggplant with the flour and shake off excess. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  When oil is hot, sauté eggplant in batches, generally 2-3 at a time, cooking for about 2-3 minutes on each side until lightly golden brown. Set aside. In a separate sauce pan combine 2-3 cups of your favorite marinara sauce with your choice of fresh herbs and heat until it begins to lightly boil. In an oven-safe bread pan, add a thin layer of the sauce to the bottom of the pan.  Carefully layer the eggplant to cover the entire base of the pan's edges.  Spread another spoon full of sauce to the eggplant and distribute the cheeses evenly. Repeat until all the ingredients are used, making sure to end the layering process with a little sauce and some cheese on top.  Place in the oven and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the top begins to bubble and cheese has melted to a golden brown. Remove and let the eggplant parmesan rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.