Ingredients:

1. ten ounces of aubergine, either little or half-large
2. one tablespoon olive oil
3. two tablespoons kosher salt
4. freshly ground pepper
5. One large egg white
6. oil spray
7. 1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (use gluten-free bread crumbs if GF)
8. 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
9. 1 cup fast marinara sauce for dipping (optional).

Instructions:

1. Set oven temperature to 450°F. Put parchment paper on two baking sheets and mist them lightly with oil.
2. After placing the eggplant strips in a bowl, toss them with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Put aside.
3. How to prepare eggplant sticks
   Beat together the egg whites in one bowl and the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese in another.
4. breaded aubergine cubes
5. One by one, dip a few eggplant strips into the egg whites and then the breadcrumbs. After removing the aubergine from the crumbs with a fork, put it on the baking sheets. Add extra oil to the spray and bake in the middle rack for 10 minutes.

Air Fryer Directions:

• Cook in batches, being cautious not to overcrowd the basket by placing the sticks in an even layer. Use an olive oil spray to mist. For 10 minutes, air fry at 350°F, rotating halfway through.

TIPS:

Using an air fryer or the oven to make eggplant sticks is a tasty and nutritious substitute for typical fried treats. The following advice will help you create delicious eggplant sticks:

• Selecting the Perfect Eggplant: Seek out sturdy, lustrous eggplants devoid of any mushy areas or imperfections. Although any type of eggplant would work for this dish, smaller eggplants often have less seeds and a milder flavour.
• Cut Evenly: To guarantee consistent cooking, cut the aubergine into uniform sticks. Choose sticks with a thickness of approximately 1/2 inch to achieve a perfect blend of crispiness and tenderness.
• Salt and Drain: Excess moisture released by eggplants might lead to mushy sticks. To avoid this, salt the eggplant sticks and leave them for twenty to thirty minutes. This aids in extracting moisture, which helps the cooked aubergine become firmer.
  blot Dry: To eliminate any extra moisture, blot the eggplant dry with paper towels after letting them sit in the salt solution. For the eggplant sticks to turn out crispy, this step is essential.
  Season Well: Sprinkle your preferred seasonings over the eggplant sticks before baking or air-frying them. Popular options include Italian seasoning, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. For added flavour, you can also add a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.
• Use Silicone Mats or Parchment Paper: To stop the eggplant sticks from sticking to the surface, line the basket of your air fryer or baking sheet with silicon mats or parchment paper.
• Preheat Your Oven or Air Fryer: Before cooking the eggplant sticks, make sure your oven or air fryer is heated up. This guarantees that they will cook through and get crispy.
• Put Everything in One Layer: Spread the eggplant sticks out in a single layer on the baking sheet or in the air fryer basket. If you crowd them together, they won’t cook evenly and won’t get crispy.
• Flip or Shake: To make sure the eggplant sticks crisp up evenly while baking them in the oven, flip them halfway through the cooking time. Halfway through cooking, shake the basket if you’re using an air fryer.
  Serve immediately: When hot and crispy, fresh out of the oven or air fryer, eggplant sticks are at their best. Serve them as a tasty snack or appetiser with your preferred dipping sauce, like marinara, tzatziki, or aioli.

Whether you bake them in the oven or use an air fryer, you can make perfectly crispy and tasty eggplant sticks by applying these instructions!