Eggplant Sandwiches With Gorgonzola Cheese And Spinach

• 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
• 1/4 pound spinach, about 4 cups loosely packed
• 4 small rounds Gorgonzola cheese, about 2 ounces
• 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 each with salt and pepper.
6. Drop the spinach into a small quantity of boiling water.
7. Stir and let return to the boil.
8. Drain quickly and run under cold water.
9. Drain thoroughly, pressing to extract excess moisture.
10. Chop the spinach.
11. Fill each sandwich with a thin slice of cheese and top each piece of cheese with a portion of the chopped spinach.
12. Close each sandwich.
13. Dip each sandwich in flour and shake off excess.
14. Beat the egg with the water and dredge each sandwich, bottom and sides, in the mixture.
15. Dredge each sandwich, bottom and sides, in bread crumbs to coat thoroughly.
16. Shake off excess.
17. Fill a heavy skillet with oil to a depth of about half an inch.
18. Heat until the temperature on a fat thermometer is about 375 degrees.
19. Add the sandwiches in one layer and let cook, turning occasionally, about three minutes or until each round is golden brown and cooked through.
20. Drain on absorbent paper towels.
21. Serve, if desired, with tomato sauce or garlic, oil and anchovy sauce.

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

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/2530 (may not work)