Eggplant Saltimbocca

1 large eggplant sliced long ways (from stem to root) about 1/4 inch thick)
1/2 lb thinly sliced prosciutto
1/2 lb sliced mozzarella (the kind you would put on a sandwich)
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed very dry
1 egg, beaten
1 cup seasoned dried bread crumbs
Olive oil for frying
Salt and pepper

On one slice of eggplant, layer a piece of prosciutto, mozzarella, and a little bit of the spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Lay another piece of eggplant over the top to essentially make an eggplant sandwich. Continue with the rest of the eggplant. Heat a large skillet with enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
Meanwhile, dip each side of the eggplant sandwiches in the egg and then the bread crumbs, shaking off the excess. Fry on both sides until golden brown and crispy, and cheese has melted. Drain on a cooling rack and serve hot with garlic bread.

*The first recipe of the new year! The idea for this dish came to me while I was watching a cooking show on the Food Network. The host made it with zucchini, and I thought that it would work just as well with eggplant - since Evan LOVES eggplant. Turns out I was right! It's best to slice the eggplant as thin as you can so it cooks all the way through. If you have a mandoline slicer, those work great - just be sure to protect your hands!! Looking forward to many more recipes in 2010! Happy New Year!

This is what the LORD says— he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:16, 18-19