Oven-Fried (Baked) Eggplant Sticks Recipe

Name: Oven-Fried Eggplant Sticks
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt ( divided ); 2 globe eggplants; 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; Optional: Pinch of cayenne; 2 teaspoons vegetable oil; 2 eggs

Prep: 45 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Total: 75 mins

Servings: 4 to 6 servings

65 ratings

Add a comment

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
279	Calories
6g	Fat
51g	Carbs
9g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories	279
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g	7%
Saturated Fat 1g	6%
Cholesterol 62mg	21%
Sodium 2822mg	123%
Total Carbohydrate 51g	18%
Dietary Fiber 9g	31%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 4mg	18%
Calcium 104mg	8%
Iron 3mg	15%
Potassium 443mg	9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

These oven-fried eggplant sticks were inspired by the deep-fried versions served at Galatoire's restaurant in New Orleans. FYI: "oven-fried" is a fancy word for "baked," if you really love crispy and don't mind frying, consider making the fried version instead.

At Galatoire's these lovelies are served with powdered sugar for dipping or sprinkling. Sound odd? It may be, but it's also delicious. It's a good reminder that in earlier days vegetables of all sorts, including tomatoes, cucumbers, and peas were commonly sweetened when served. A dash or two of Tabasco sauce isn't out of order here either.

2 tablespoons fine sea salt
8 cups water
2 globe eggplants
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch cayenne, optional
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs

Gather the ingredients.
In a large bowl dissolve 2 tablespoons of the salt in 1 cup warm water. Add 2 quarts (8 cups) cold water. Set aside.
Trim the eggplants and cut them into 1/2-inch-thick, 3- to 4-inch-long sticks. Some people find eggplant skin difficult to digest; you can remove and discard the peel if you like. Put the sticks in the salt water, use a pot lid or an upside-down plate to submerge them and keep them under the water (they will want to float), and let them sit 30 minutes. (Why are you doing this? It's called brining, and it magically helps eggplant hold its shape when you cook it.)
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, plus the pepper and cayenne, if you like. Add the oil and use your fingers to work the oil into the breadcrumb mixture. Transfer the mixture to a large plate or shallow bowl. Set aside.
Whisk the eggs to break them up completely; seriously whisk them, you don't want any blobs of egg white in there. (When you lift the whisk up it should be as lifting it out of the water.)
Preheat an oven to 425 F. Liberally oil a large baking sheet (or use a nonstick one).
Drain and thoroughly dry the eggplant sticks by patting them with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
Keeping one hand dry and one hand wet, dip an eggplant stick in the eggs, lift in out and shake off any excess egg, put the stick in the breadcrumb mixture and coat the eggplant stick completely, lift it out and shake off any excess bread crumbs, transfer the stick to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining sticks.
Bake the eggplant, turning once, until browned, crispy, and tender to the bite, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.
Enjoy!