Eggplant Au Gratin

I've never been much of an eggplant fan, until relatively recently. Even so, I tend to like it breaded and fried, or en casserole. This being summer, and eggplant being abundant, I couldn't resist getting a couple of small purple striped eggplants yesterday at Lewis Orchards. (Purple being my favorite color might have had something to do with it.)

Last weekend, I made carrots au gratin from a New York Times recipe by Martha Rose Schulman. I liked her bechamel sauce recipes, reworked to a healthier level (lowfat milk and olive oil). I figured that could be the au gratin base . . . if it worked for carrots, it should work for eggplant.

But how to fix the eggplant? I cast about on the Web for eggplant casserole dishes. Mostly what I found were recipes that had you dredge the eggplant in bread crumbs, and bake it. OK, that sounds good; a lot more attractive than naked (brownish) baked eggplant.

Here's what I came up with. It was good! I could have used some fresher bread crumbs (note to self: get more bread crumbs at the store this week), but overall, it hit the spot.

I made it in two small au gratin dishes; Jeff and I split one; the other will be reheated later this week.

• 2 smallish eggplants
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Italian bread crumbs
• onion, chopped 
• banana pepper (optional; I grew this and wanted to use it in something)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 heaping tablespoon flour
• 1 cup 2% milk
• oregano, to taste
• fresh chives, chopped (also from my deck)
• 6 heaping tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese

Chop the onion and pepper into quarter-inch dice. Saute in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil until soft. Divide between two small gratin dishes (that first have been sprayed with olive oil spray).

Slice the eggplants into half-inch slices. Dip into beaten egg, then dredge in bread crumbs. Line up on a nonstick cookie sheet and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes a side.
Make the bechamel sauce: heat olive oil in small pan over medium heat. Add flour, whisk. Add milk all at once, and whisk smooth. Add oregano and chives. Cook on low heat, stirring with rubber spatula frequently, until thickened. About halfway through, add 2 tablespoons shredded parmesan and blend in.
Assemble the gratin: fit eggplant rounds into plans in "domino" fashion, fitting in as many as possible. Spray lightly with olive oil spray. Cover with bechamel sauce, dividing equally between dishes. Top each dish with 2 tablespoons grated parmesan.
Bake in 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until very bubbly and cheese starts to brown.
Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 servings.