Fun With Carbs

Looking for a ridiculously easy and tasty side dish? Yes. Yes, you are.

I had “eggplant fries” at Hartford’s Taste of the Nation event May 6, courtesy of Joey Garlic’s Pizza. They were crispy, savory, cheesy sticks of heaven, especially with accompanying pomodoro sauce for dipping. But when fried, these can be heavy, as eggplant is a virtual sponge for oil.

At home, I improvised my own baked version. I peeled an eggplant, sliced it into skinny “fry” shapes, tossed the sticks in flour, dipped them in egg white and rolled them in seasoned panko crumbs.  Baked at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes, these came out as crunchy and irresistible as their fryolator counterparts. I gave them a small drizzle of olive oil, a small shake of garlic powder and a shower of Parmesan.

A healthy and interesting alternative to potatoes, for sure. I love eggplant, but until now, I haven’t done anything with it beyond baked eggplant parmesan.

We made these last night to go with a pineapple-chipotle marinated pork tenderloin. To drink: Boutari Moschofilero, which I picked up at Table & Vine last week. It’s been seven-plus months since we arrived home from Santorini and I miss it Every. Single. Day.

P.S. Boutari loves Fun With Carbs. Though I’m not sure I’d call it a “healthy eating blog,” based on my multiple KFC Double Down posts alone.

(Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)