Eggplant Panini Sandwiches

These warm Italian sandwiches are great for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients
• 1 medium loaf of selected french bread
(we used an asagio cheese loaf)
• 1 small eggplant, sliced
• ½ cup egg whites (Egg-Beaters brand)
• 1 cup italian bread crumbs
• Shredded Italian cheese
(we used Trader Joe's Quattro Formaggio, a mixture of provolone, fontina, asagio, and parmesan.)
• 1 large tomato, sliced
• 1 bunch fresh basil
• Butter or cooking spray for broiling

Preparation
• Pour egg whites into a small bowl, and bread crumbs into a second small bowl.
• Bread the eggplant slices by dipping both sides in egg, then in bread crumbs.
• Broil on high on both sides until the bread crumbs are a golden brown.
• Slice the bread into 12 slices and place on a cookie sheet. Spray with cooking spray or spread on butter.
• Add a slice of breaded eggplant to each slice. Sprinkle cheese on top of the eggplant slices.
• Broil on high until bread is toasted but not burnt.
• Add a tomato slice and basil leaves to every other slice, and make the ones without these additions the lids of the sandwiches. Serve while still warm.

Makes 6 sandwiches.