Eggplant Parmesan Nachos

Image credit:Schellenberg, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

https://bsky.app/profile/nachoproblems.bsky.social
This is Nacho Merch https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/137119806
A big thanks to Idol Scribblings for making our logos Check out her other works here https://idolscribblings.blog/

Hello and welcome to this month’s episode of Nacho Problems, where we turn ordinary recipes into extraordinary nachos. I’m Nacho Queen, but you can call me M. We’re still focusing on recipes that highlight this year’s nacho garden. I tried a lot of new plants this year, and by far my most successful was my eggplant. So, this episode we’re making eggplant parmesan nachos. Eggplant parmesan or parmesana is an Italian dish consisting of fried slices of eggplant topped with parmesan and mozzarella cheese as well as tomato sauce and baked. I think it’s going to make really good use of my eggplants. So, let’s get started. Step one, the chips. The eggplant will be our chips. And for that, we need one medium eggplant, 1/4 cup flour, two large eggs, a cup of breadrumbs. I’m using the Italian style, which are already seasoned. Half a cup parmesan cheese, which despite literally being in the name of the dish, somehow got missed during setup. I’d fire my assistant, but let’s be honest, I’m not monetized. I am my assistant. Oil for frying. And one to two teaspoons of coarse salt. We’ll start by slicing our eggplant into chip size. I never knew before that eggplants have tiny little thorns around the stem, so do be careful when handling. We’re going to cut these into about/2 in thick slices. And I have to say that despite my abysmal knife skills, those look pretty even. I ended up cutting these in half again later as I felt that they were still a little big for chips. Now, we need to sweat our eggplant. So, put them in some athletic wear and run them around the block a few times. Just kidding. Place them on a sheet pan and sprinkle both sides generously with salt. Then, set aside for 10 minutes. This draws out the excess moisture and keeps the eggplant from turning slimy during cooking. Now pat dry with a paper towel and let’s set up our breading stations. Into our first bowl, we’ll add the flour. Into a second, we need to crack our eggs and give them a good beating. And into the final bowl, we’ll add the breadcrumbs and the parm and mix well. I should have started out with about half this amount in the final bowl and topped it off later as this was very full. Okay, now to bread our eggplant, we need to coat them first in the flour, then a dip into the egg. [Music] And finally into our breadcrumbs for a good coating. Do that 20 more times while you heat up about 1/4 in of oil to 350° F or 175C. Now, these take very little time to cook, so don’t wander off. They only need 1 to 2 minutes, then turn, and another 1 to 2 minutes before moving to a paper towel lined plate. And that’s our chips. Next up is step two, the cheese. For cheese, we’ve got some marinara sauce. Now, I know what you’re thinking. M, didn’t you grow tomatoes? Why aren’t you making your own? I did indeed, but this was filmed earlier in the summer before they were ready. The garden doesn’t always heed my filming schedule. Just plain inconsiderate sometimes. What can you do? Next up is step three, the toppings. For our toppings, we’ve got slices of mozzarella and some fresh basil and oregano, both from the garden. Because while my tomatoes might be stubborn, my herbs not only show up for the party, they bring the vibes. Well, I think it’s time for step four. Let’s eat. We’ll start with a few chips. Add on some sauce, then top with the mozzarella, basil, and oregano. Now, you might have noticed this isn’t one of my normal plates, and that’s because we’re going to pop this under the broiler for just a few minutes to melt the cheese. Then, we’ll transfer that to a plate. And it looks like cameraman is up for taste tester. Ooh, they might still be a little hot. Okay, he’s back for another try. Guys, these turned out really well. I highly recommend you try it. [Music] Well, that’s all for this episode. I hope you enjoyed it. If so, give it a like and please consider subscribing if you want to see more Nacho videos. If you have an idea for a future video, you can leave a comment or I’ve linked my blue sky below. But you won’t find me on Facebook, Instagram, or threads. If you’re looking to steal my apron, well, that’s Nacho merch, but you can get your own at a link in the description. Now, Halloween is coming up, and so it’s time to unleash my horde of inflatable dragons. But unless you’re one of the highly reactive dogs in my neighborhood, that’s not your problem. Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you soon. [Music]