Recipes: Say Cheese!

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A little Parmesan cheese goes a long way, especially in this collection of five deliciously Parm-centric recipes!

 Want to learn how easy it is to make a Parmesan bowl? Check out this Kale, Apple & Parmesan Salad for instructions!

Baked Eggplant Parmesan Sandwiches

We’ve ditched the deep-fryer and firing up the over for these Nonna-approved baked Eggplant Parmesan Sandwiches. Real crowd-pleasers, these sandwiches are layers of crusty bread smothered in homemade tomato sauce, golden baked tender eggplant, peppery arugula and melted mozzarella cheese.

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1(28oz) can diced tomatoes, with liquid
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Eggplant Parmesan

3 medium eggplants, cut into 30 (½-inch thick) slices
1 tbsp kosher salt
¼ cup flour
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup breadcrumbs
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

10 crusty sandwich buns
Baby arugula
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

 Directions

1) For the tomato sauce, in a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add onion, stirring 2-3 minutes until tender. Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and using a handheld immersion blender, process slightly, leaving the sauce somewhat chunky. Season with sugar, salt and pepper.

2) For the eggplant, place the slices in a large strainer, sprinkle with 1 tbsp of salt, toss to coat and let sit for 30 minutes. Rinse the eggplant and dry well with paper towel.

3) Preheat oven to 425ºF and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Place flour, salt and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Add eggplant slices and toss to coat. Place eggs in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, combine breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese. Dip each slice of eggplant in the eggs and then in the breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides well. Place in a single layer on prepared baking sheets and spray the tops with non-stick cooking spray. Bake 12-13 minutes, flip the slices and continue baking for 12-13 minutes more, until eggplant is golden. Remove from oven and set broiler to high.

4) To assemble sandwiches, spread 2 tbsp of tomato sauce on the bottom of one sandwich bun, place a small portion of arugula over the sauce. Layer on 3 eggplant slices, 2 tbsp of tomato sauce and 3 tbsp of mozzarella cheese over the sauce. Heat under broiler until bubbly and golden. Remove from oven and add the top of the bun. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.

Yield: 10 sandwiches

Up Next: Bolognese Smothered Parmesan Polenta

Bolognese Smothered Parmesan Polenta

While we never tire of spaghetti (yes, we’re carbaholics), we do like to change things up a bit, especially with this Parmesan Polenta. Topped with our homemade rich and robust Bolognese sauce, cheesy polenta never tasted so great!

Ingredients

Creamy Polenta

5 cups water
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bolognese Sauce

1 lb lean ground beef
1/4 cup milk
3 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms (you can use a variety of button, shiitake, cremini)
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 cups tomato sauce
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 piece of Parmesan rind, 2-3 inches long (the rind is the outside edge on a chunk of fresh Parmesan)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

Creamy Polenta

1) Coat an 11×7-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a large pot, bring 5 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and slowly add the cornmeal, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. The mixture should be thick and smooth.

2) Remove from heat, stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and spoon into prepared baking dish. Set aside.

Bolognese Sauce

1) For the sauce, in a large skillet, sauté ground beef over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks. Cook for 5 minutes, or until it is no longer pink. Drain in colander and return beef to skillet.

2) Add milk to skillet and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, until milk is absorbed. Add mushrooms, carrot, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook over medium-low heat for 8 minutes, until the onion is softened.

3) Add tomato sauce, red wine and Parmesan rind to the meat mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer partially covered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and discard Parmesan rind.

4) For serving, slice polenta into 6-8 servings and spoon Bolognese sauce over each portion. Finish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Serves 6-8

Up Next: Parmesan Crusted Asparagus

 

Parmesan Crusted Asparagus

How do you make your family beg for veggies? Simply bake up these Parmesan-Crusted Asparagus, green stalks coated in a cheesy breadcrumb mixture and baked to a golden crisp. These addictive spears aren’t only a family favorite, they’re also the perfect company-is-coming side dish that can be assembled in advance and popped in the oven 15 minutes before dinnertime.

Ingredients

¾ cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp kosher salt
1½ cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 large bunches of asparagus
2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

2) In a large bowl, whisk mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and salt.

3) On a large plate, combine panko and Parmesan.

4) Stalk by stalk, dip asparagus in mayonnaise mixture, followed by the panko mixture. Place crusted asparagus on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle the stalks with olive oil.

5) At this point you can place the tray in the refrigerator for a few hours before baking. To cook, bake 14-16 minutes, turning the asparagus halfway through cooking. Sprinkle with coarse salt before serving.

Serves 4

Up Next: Quick & Easy Chicken Parmesan

Quick & Easy Chicken Parmesan

She won’t organize your junk drawer or suggest a new eye shadow but Lisa is a makeover maven. She has transformed Chicken Parmesan from a traditionally greasy, leathery mess into a healthful, tender success. Cheesy and moist, this super-quick version (less than 15 minutes) will leave you plenty of time to alphabetize the take-out menus.

Ingredients

2 cup flour
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1) Place flour in a small bowl. In another bowl, lightly beat eggs. In a third bowl, combine panko and Parmesan cheese.

2) Place chicken between two sheets of wax paper and pound to even thickness, about 1/2-inch thick. Lightly coat chicken in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Dip into beaten eggs and then transfer to panko mixture, patting the crumbs on both sides.

3) In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Reduce heat to low. Add chicken broth to pan, spread 3 tbsp tomato sauce on each chicken breast and sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan.

4) Cover skillet and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 6 minutes.

Serves 6

Up Next: Tomato Soup with Parmesan Dumplings

Tomato Soup with Parmesan Dumplings

Looking for the perfect quick and easy tomato soup recipe? Here it is, a delicious tomato soup that can be made in under 30 minutes, but, don’t let the speed fool you. This quick bowl of comfort not only offers up depth of flavor, but also is elegantly topped with Parmesan dumplings to make it a perfect entertaining first course.

Ingredients

Tomato Soup

2 tbsp butter
1 large white onion, chopped
1 tbsp shallots, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 small carrots, peeled and chopped
2 small celery stalks, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
3 sun-dried tomatoes, not oil-packed, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
½ tsp sugar
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Dash cayenne pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained

Parmesan Dumplings

1/3 cup flour
2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp chopped fresh basil
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp kosher salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp vegetable oil

Thinly sliced fresh basil, for garnish

Directions

1) For the soup, in a large saucepan, heat butter over medium heat. Add onion, shallot and garlic, cooking 4-5 minutes until tender. Add carrots, celery, red pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper and cayenne. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4-5 minutes to soften vegetables. Add chicken broth and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat and either puree directly in soup pot using a handheld blender or place half of the tomato soup mixture in a countertop blender. Cover and blend until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with remaining tomato soup. Return all of the soup to the saucepan. Reheat when ready to serve.

2) For the Parmesan dumplings, combine flour, Parmesan, basil, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, lightly whisk together the egg and vegetable oil. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture with a wooden spoon until combined. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Using ½ tsp measuring spoon, drop slightly rounded dough into boiling water. Cook 4 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Serve with soup. Garnish soup with sliced basil
Yield: 25 dumplings

Serves 6