Buon Appettito!: Easy Italian Dishes

STUFFED EGGPLANT (MELANZANA)

From Antonio DeFabio of Port Republic

Ingredients:

Directions: In a large bowl, beat two eggs with some milk. In a separate bowl, mix breadcrumbs with Parmesan cheese. Slice eggplant into round pieces less than 1⁄2-inch thick (can leave skin on). Dip eggplant into the egg/milk mixture, then dredge in breadcrumb/cheese mixture, both sides. Put breaded eggplant on plate; place in refrigerator to cool and dry. In large frying pan, heat some extra virgin olive oil and garlic. Slowly brown each eggplant piece in oil until golden and tender; test with a fork. In another bowl, mix ricotta cheese with one egg. Add basil, oregano and parsley to taste. Add shredded mozzarella cheese; mix well. In a casserole dish, layer spaghetti sauce on the bottom. (Use your favorite, store or homemade. Store sauces are way too thick and need to be cut with water. Sauce should be smooth, not watery or too thick.) Place one row of eggplant in bottom of casserole dish and top each slice with ricotta mixture. Put a final layer of eggplant on top of the ricotta. Top each eggplant slice with a generous amount of sauce; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover lightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 350� for 20 minutes.

ITALIAN MEAT LOAF

From Patricia Harbin of Louisa

Ingredients:

Directions: Combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl, mixing well. Pat half the mixture into an 8x8x2-inch baking pan. Combine remaining ingredients in a second bowl; mix well. Spread evenly over meat in the pan. Top with remaining meat mixture. Bake at 350� for 1 hour. Let meatloaf stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings.

ITALIAN vegetable dip

From Opal Ashton of Rose Hill

Ingredients:

Directions: Mix ingredients until creamy. Serve with fresh vegetables.

VEGETABLE PASTA CASSEROLE

From Linda Eastep of Spring Grove

Ingredients:

Directions: Wash and slice first 6 ingredients as for stirfry. Saut� with oil in deep skillet. Add tomatoes, cover, lower heat and simmer until tender. Add water, pasta, cheese and seasonings; stir well, cover and cook slowly for another 10 minutes or until pasta is tender. You may need to add a little more water as pasta cooks. Pour into casserole dish. Bake at 350˚ for 5-10 minutes. (Low fat, very good and easy to make.)

UPSIDE-DOWN ITALIAN PIZZA

From Kathryn Dunn of Cumberland

Ingredients:

Directions: In a saucepan, cook the first three ingredients over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour, basil and tomato sauce; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Pour into an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Put remaining flour in a mixing bowl; beat in the eggs, milk, oil and salt until smooth. Stir in Parmesan cheese, if desired. Pour over meat mixture in casserole dish. Bake uncovered at 425� for 25-30 minutes or until brown. Makes 8 servings.