This is an easy recipe for eggplant parmesan. I serve it either with pasta or another vegetable. I love eggplant, it is nutritious and makes a great vegetarian meal. I cook vegetarian at least once a week, and also for my vegetarian father-in-law when he visits. I do not pre-soak or pre-salt the eggplant. I have tried soaking the eggplant in saltwater first and also salting it first to drain it. However, I prefer my eggplant a little thicker and more plump than flat. If you are a traditionalist, then I would recommend salting the eggplant first and draining it under weight, like a little cast iron skillet, in a colander. I really like using fresh mozzarella with this dish, but forgot to get it at the store, so in the photo I have the shredded cheese in the middle layer. It doesn’t really matter though if you use the fresh mozzarella or not, it is equally delicious either way.
Yield: Serves 4
1 large eggplant
2 eggs
1 cup Italian Breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan, like Kraft
1 teaspoon Italian dried herbs (oregano, basil, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, and sage)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
olive oil
Sauce:
1/4 sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz can Italian tomatoes with basil flavor, I like Cento
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs (oregano, basil, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, savory, and sage)
kosher salt
olive oil
The cheeses:
Fresh mozzarella, sliced
Italian blend cheese (Mozzarella, smoked Provolone, Asiago, Parmesan, Romano and Fontina cheese)
Slice eggplant in 1/4 - 1/2 inch slices. Whisk eggs, kosher salt, pepper and Italian dried herbs together. Place bread crumbs and grated parmesan in another bowl. Preheat a large skillet. Dip eggplant in egg mixture, then cover in breadcrumbs. Drizzle olive oil in skillet. Fry eggplant on medium low until brown. Remove cooked eggplant slices to a towel to drain and continue to cook the rest of the slices.
While you are frying the eggplant slices, begin the sauce. Add onions and garlic to a preheated saucepan drizzled with olive oil. Saute until translucent. Add the canned tomatoes and dried herbs. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer while you finish cooking the rest of the eggplant.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a casserole dish with the fried eggplant. Top with a little sauce. Add fresh cheese or shredded Italian blend cheese. Top with another eggplant slice and more sauce. Finish by topping with shredded cheese. Place the eggplant in the oven just until the cheese melts and slightly browns.