Baked Eggplant Parmesan with Pesto Spaghetti

This is one of my favorite ways to eat eggplant. Traditionally eggplant Parmesan is breaded and fried before baking. I made this lighter by roasting the eggplant in the oven instead. 

I stacked the eggplant slices with layers of goat cheese, mozzarella cheese, and freshly torn basil. 

I filled a shallow baking dish with a thin layer of homemade tomato sauce and baked everything until the cheese was slightly melted and had a nice golden crust on top. 

The eggplant and goat cheese are the perfect pair! If you're looking for an easy and delicious Italian meal...this is it!

Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients:

Olive oil, for baking sheets

2 large eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp ground paprika

3/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs

3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus 2 tablespoons for topping

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 large eggplants, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds

6 cups store-bought tomato sauce or homemade

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella 

1 cup crumbled goat cheese 

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

Pesto Spaghetti

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup fat-free ricotta cheese

2 tbsp. reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping

2 tbsp. pine nuts

1 tsp. olive oil

1 tsp. chopped garlic

1/4 tsp. salt, or more to taste

1/4 tsp. black pepper, or more to taste

1 lb cooked angel hair pasta

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush 2 baking sheets with oil; set aside. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and paprika. In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs, 3/4 cup Parmesan, oregano, and basil; season with salt and pepper.
2. Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture, coating well; place on baking sheets. Bake until golden brown on bottom, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn slices; continue baking until browned on other side, 20 to 25 minutes more. Remove from oven; raise oven heat to 400 degrees.
3. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange half the eggplant in dish; cover with mozzarella, goat cheese, and basil. Repeat with remaining eggplant, sauce, and cheeses; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. 
4. Combine all ingredients for pesto in a food processor until smooth. Toss with pasta.