Fried Eggplant Sandwich with Eggplant Mayo

Ingredients

• For the eggplant mayo:
• 2 medium eggplants, about 1 1/2 pounds total
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 clove garlic, grated on a microplane grater
• 2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
• 2 teaspoons dijon or whole grain mustard
• Kosher salt
• For the tomato sauce:
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1 can whole peeled tomatoes
• For the eggplant:
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups vegan bread crumbs
• 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
• 4 slices pizza bianca or other sandwich bread, lightly toasted

Directions

1. For the eggplant mayonnaise, heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Halve 1 eggplant from stem to end. Rub 1 half with 1 teaspoon oil, seal it well in foil, and roast until fully soft, about 1 hour; keep the remaining 1 1/2 eggplants for later. When it is tender, scoop out the roasted flesh and throw away the skin. Put the flesh into a cup just wide enough to fit the head of an immersion blender. Add the garlic, lemon juice, and mustard. Pour in the remaining oil carefully, letting it sit above the eggplant. Set the immersion blender flat against the bottom of the cup, switch it on, and draw it upward slowly to create a thick, creamy emulsion. Add salt to taste, then set the eggplant mayonnaise aside.
2. For the sauce, start while the eggplant roasts. Warm the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Stir in the garlic, red pepper, and oregano, and cook, stirring the whole time, until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes with their juice. Break up the tomatoes with a potato masher, sturdy whisk, or hand blender. Bring the sauce to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook until it is thick and concentrated, about 45 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
3. For the fried eggplant, cut the remaining 1 1/2 eggplants lengthwise into thin slices, about 16 total. Sprinkle with salt and let them sit for 20 minutes. Press them firmly with paper towels to flatten slightly and pull away extra moisture.
4. Mix the flour and water together, adjusting with more flour or water as needed, until the texture is close to thick pancake batter. Season with salt to taste. Put the breadcrumbs in a shallow pie plate. Coat the eggplant slices one by one: dip each slice in the flour mixture, drag off the extra on the edge of the bowl, then lay it in the crumbs. Press the crumbs onto the eggplant so the coating sticks.
5. Heat the oil in a large wok or Dutch oven to 400 degrees F on an instant read thermometer. Fry the eggplant in 2 to 3 batches, flipping now and then, until both sides are crisp and golden brown. Move the finished slices to a large paper towel-lined plate, and salt them right after they come out of the oil.
6. To assemble, cut the bread in half. Spread eggplant mayo over the bottom half of each sandwich, then add eggplant slices, using half of the slices divided evenly among the 4 sandwiches. Spoon on half of the tomato sauce and spread it evenly. Add more eggplant mayo. Repeat with another layer of fried eggplant and another layer of tomato sauce. Spoon on a final bit of eggplant mayo, close the sandwiches, and serve hot.