My Mom's Southern Eggplant (aubergine) Casserole

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 small eggplant
• 1/2 lb bulk sausage
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 tablespoons italian seasoning
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup butter cracker crumb
• 1 tablespoon butter

Recipe

• 1 peel eggplant, cut into 1" cubes and lightly salt to sweat the bitter taste out--about 15-20 minutes.
• 2 cook in saucepan with water until tender--about 18 minutes; drain and cool slightly.
• 3 cook sausage, onion until sausage is browned and onion is soft.combine eggplant and sausage; add egg and bread crumbs.
• 4 spoon into prepared casserole.
• 5 combine butter and cracker crumbs. spread over top of casserole.
• 6 bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until cracker crumbs are golden brown.
• 7 variations:.
• 8 sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded before adding the cracker crumbles.
• 9 mix in 1/2 cup rotel tomatoes, well drained.