Eggplant Stacks

I large eggplant, cut into 1/4" thick strips (appx. 9 - 12 pieces)
3/4 cornmeal (divided)
3 eggs
1 Tb store-bought pesto sauce
3 Tb extra virgin olive oil
1/2 C part skim ricotta cheese
3 slices fresh mozzarella cheese (appx. 1 oz each)
1 1/2 C marinara sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a shallow dish whisk together eggs and pesto. In another shallow dish put 1/2 c cornmeal.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Dredge eggplant through egg mixture then cornmeal, and sautee in olive oil until tender, appx. 2 minutes. Place on paper towel to drain.
3. Slice mozarella. In a small bowl combine ricotta, salt, pepper, garlic powder, basil, oregano, thyme, and remaining cornmeal. Blend thoroughly.
4. Coat a shallow baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and place some heated marinara in the bottom. Stack one slice of eggplant, followed by a slice of mozzarella, another slice of eggplant, a dollop of the ricotta mixture, and then top with remaining eggplant slice. Cover with marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese (if desired).
5. Bake at 350 for appx. 10 minutes until bubbly. Serve with a salad.

Serving Size: Make 3-4 "stacks"

Number of Servings: 3

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user MORNINGGLORY609.