Revelation of the Week: Bake, Don't Sauté, Eggplant Slices

I made eggplant rollatini (slices of eggplant rolled with ricotta cheese inside and topped with marinara sauce) this weekend. I usually sauté the eggplant (about 1/3 of an inch thick), but that process takes time (even with two pans going) and uses a lot of olive oil (monetary concern, not health).

As I was getting ready to sauté, I was thinking, "this is such a pain in the butt." Then it hit me: bake the eggplant in the oven. Derrrrrrr! Why had I not thought of this time-, oil- and mess-saving measure years ago?

I brushed each slice of eggplant with a little olive oil, placed them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and baked them in a 350-degree oven until they were soft (about seven minutes).

The moral of the story? In the kitchen, there is usually a different (and sometimes better) way of doing something.