Cooking eggplant to perfection has much to do with getting the texture just right. Here's a simple way to achieve that ...

A baked eggplant gone right is delectable, with a caramelized surface that collapses into fleshy pulp. But gone bad? It's all too easy to find yourself with overly bitter mush.

Coat the eggplant packets first in the flour, then in the egg and finally in the breadcrumbs until they are evenly coated.

Bake for 10 to 20 minutes, testing again every 5 minutes to make sure they do not overcook. The skin may pucker slightly and there should be no signs of char; the flesh should feel soft but not mushy.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Trim the ends of the eggplant, then cut it crosswise into quarter-inch-thick slices. Arrange the slices in one layer on the bottom of a large glass baking dish.

Spoon ½ cup of the marinara sauce into the bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish (a 12x9-inch baking dish also works). Arrange half of the eggplant slices over the sauce, overlapping them as needed.

Baked Eggplant Fries with Tzatziki Sauce Makes 6 servings For the Eggplant Fries 1 medium eggplant 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 2 eggs, lightly beaten ( to lower cholesterol use egg substitute) 1 cup ...

Bake the prepared eggplant halves. While they are in the oven, make the cacik and refrigerate it, then cook the rice pilaf. These preparations should take about 45 minutes total. From Nick Malgieri.