Eggplant Sandwiches With Fontina Cheese And Sun-Dried Tomatoes

• 4 rounds eggplant, each about 1-inch thick, a total weight of about 3/4 pound
• Salt to taste, if desired
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 4 small rounds Fontina cheese, about 2 ounces
• 4 bottled sun-dried tomatoes, drained and split in half
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
• Oil for shallow frying
• Tomato sauce (see recipe), optional
• Garlic, oil and anchovy sauce (see recipe), optional

1. If desired, trim off and discard the skin of each eggplant round.
2. Place each round on a flat surface and hold a knife parallel to the surface.
3. Cut each round in half, splitting each sandwichlike almost but not through to the end.
4. Leave a small hinge at one end of each round.
5. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6. Fill each sandwich with a round of Fontina cheese and top each piece of cheese with a sun-dried tomato.
7. Close each sandwich.
8. Dip each sandwich in flour and shake off excess.
9. Beat the egg with water and dredge each sandwich, bottom and sides, in the mixture.
10. Dredge each sandwich, bottom and sides, in bread crumbs to coat thoroughly.
11. Shake off excess.
12. Fill a heavy skillet with oil to a depth of about half an inch.
13. Heat until the temperature on a fat thermometer is about 375 degrees.
14. Add the sandwiches in one layer and cook, turning occasionally, about three minutes or until each round is golden brown and cooked through.
15. Drain on absorbent paper towels.
16. Serve, if desired, with tomato sauce or garlic, oil and anchovy sauce.

salt, freshly ground pepper, cheese, tomatoes, flour, egg, water, bread crumbs, shallow frying, tomato sauce, garlic

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/2533 (may not work)