Crispy Eggplant & Prosciutto Caprese Salad

I ended up with a quick and easy eggplant parm of sorts that I paired with one of my favorite salads of all time, the caprese salad. In addition to adding the crispy eggplant which gives the salad a nice crunch, I also added prosciutto, my favorite thinly-sliced, dry-cured meat! The result was seriously one of the best, if not the best, salad I've ever had! Ingredients

• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 1 tbsp fresh basil (chopped) + 8 basil leaves (divided)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ¾ cup breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese (grated)
• 1 eggplant (cut in ¼ inch slices)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 8 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
• 2 large heirloom tomatos (sliced)
• 8 slices prosciutto
• ¼ cup balsamic glaze

Place the egg in a shallow bowl & whisk. In another shallow bowl, combine the oregano, thyme, 1 tbsp chopped basil, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs and parmesan. Dip the eggplant in the egg, then coat in the breadcrumb mixture. Repeat with each slice of eggplant. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the eggplant and cook for 3-5 minutes per side, or until lightly browned. Remove from the skillet and build the caprese salad. Place one slice of mozzarella, heirloom tomato, prosciutto and basil in between each piece of crispy eggplant. Drizzle with the balsamic glaze and serve. This salad could easily be served as an appetizer, side dish or main dish! The colors are beautiful and the flavors are light, making it the perfect salad for spring and summer! Vegetarian Option: Omit the prosciutto to make this recipe vegetarian. Gluten Free Option:  Use gluten-free breadcrumbs, or crushed rice chex cereal, instead of traditional breadcrumbs to make this dish gluten-free.
Source: http://ladiesblog.net/crispy-eggplant-prosciutto-caprese-salad.html