Eggplant parmigiana - serves 6
Sauce
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained
2 8-ounce cans no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 6-ounce can no-salt-added tomato paste
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
1 tbsp Italian herb seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
Dash hot pepper sauce
Eggplant-Cheese Layers
1 eggplant, about 1 pound, sliced into 3/8-inch rounds
10 ounces tofu, drained
1 large egg white
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded, about 4 ounces
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, about 1 ounce
1/3 cup bread crumbs from French or sourdough bread
In a blender or the workbowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, blend sauce ingredients for about 30 seconds, or until no lumps remain. Set aside.
Preheat broiler. Place eggplant slices on baking sheet; do not overlap. Broil 4 inches from heat, 3-4 minutes per side, being careful not to burn the eggplant. Remove from oven and let cool.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Place tofu between two thick layers of paper towels. Place between two plates and press down on the top plate. Pour off the liquid.
In a blender, process tofu and egg white until smooth, set aside.
To keep mozzarella from sticking together, it may be necessary to mix it with flour.
In a 2-quart ovenproof glass 8x11x2-inch pan, assemble the layers in order from bottom to top; a third sauce, half eggplant slices, a third sauce, mozzarella, tofu-egg mixture, remaining eggplant slices, remaining sauce, Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.
Bake, uncovered, 35 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.