Passover Eggplant Milanese

Enjoy this bonus recipe this week!
 I swear this is one of the most delicious things I’ve ever made, Passover or not. Slices of eggplant are  dipped in egg and seasoned matzoh meal, fried then served over lemony arugula and topped with a fresh tomato basil sauce with garlic, capers, and olives. This is Passover cooking at its best, and by that I mean you cannot taste the difference. Suck it, Pharoah!
 Easily swap regular panko crumbs for the matzoh meal. This dish is a beautiful one platter lunch or light supper.

Ingredients for 7 pieces:
Eggplant:
4 eggs beaten in a pan
A large eggplant sliced 1/4 inch thick lengthwise. Before I slice, I cut of the top and bottom of the eggplant so I can stand it up and cut.
2-3 cups matzo meal
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
Vegetable oil or your preferred frying oil

Sauce:
2 cups whole cherry tomatoes
Cup tightly packed fresh basil (can sub parsley)
1 1/2 cups pitted black olives
2 tbsp capers
4 large garlic cloves coarsely chopped
Tbsp of white wine to deglaze if necessary
Salt and pepper

Simple salad base:
3 cups arugula
Olive oil, a good drizzle
A lemon cut in half


Prepare a large frying pan with enough vegetable oil to fry. Heat the pan on medium while you prep. You’ll need a very hot pan to fry.
Slice the eggplant and set aside, beat the eggs in a pan and also set aside. In another pan mix the matzoh meal with a generous sprinkling of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Add the chili powder. Combine well.
Dredge the slices of eggplant in the egg wash thoroughly on both sides and dip well in the seasoned matzoh meal. Pat the crumbs into both sides. Fry the coated eggplant a couple minutes on both sides until golden brown. Work in batches until each slice is fried. I used a spatula since the eggplant tenderized quickly and I didn’t want to tear it with a fork. Place the slices in a single layer on paper towels to blot the oil. Set aside.

In another large pan, heat olive oil. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook about 5 to 7 minutes until they tenderize, pop, and begin to brown. They’ll give off some liquid which is good. Add the chopped garlic, stir and cook 2 minutes, adding the wine if needed to keep the garlic from burning. Add the olives and capers, combine well and cook for another several minutes so the flavors can blend together. Season with some salt and pepper.
When done, let cool for a minute to release some steam. In a food processor, add the tomato mixture with the cup of basil and a drizzle of olive oil. Pulse a few times to combine the mixture while it remains chunky and textured. Adjust seasonings if necessary (I didn’t).

In a large bowl mix the arugula with a nice drizzle of olive oil, a good squeeze of one of the lemon halves, and toss. Place evenly on a platter. Cut the other lemon half into wedges. Layer the fried eggplant slices over the dressed greens, and top with a few spoonfuls of the tomato basil sauce. Add whole basil leaves to garnish. Happy Passover!