compress them. It also makes them soggy and mushy.
It’s a technique better suited for eggplant that’s going to
be braised or mashed.
- Roasting eggplant slices uncovered is tough to do. Cook
them dry, and they turn leathery and tough. Oil them
before roasting, and the usual problem occurs: the oil is
instantly sucked in, and the eggplant slices still end up
leathery and tough and greasy.
- Roasting the eggplant slices covered by a layer of paper
towels in between two baking sheets pans is by far the
most successful in-the-oven way to do it. Lining a baking
sheet with paper towels (or a clean kitchen towel),
placing the slices on top, covering them with another
layer of paper towels, and then with another baking
sheet ensures that the slices cook evenly, and the paper
towels absorb excess moisture while at the same time
keeping them just moist enough to prevent them from
turning leathery.
- Microwaving is my go-to method. It’s fast and
consistent. (See “How Microwave Ovens Work” here.)
Just lay the slices (or cubes) of eggplant on a
microwave-safe plate lined with a couple paper towels.
Lay some more paper towels on top, followed by a
heavy plate, and microwave on high for 5 to 10 minutes,
until the eggplant has given up excess moisture through
steam and completely collapsed. You can stack multiple
plates with paper towels between them to cook more
eggplant at the same time.
