This is one of my favorite fall recipes. It is more complicated than most of my recipes but well worth investing the time. Garden fresh ingredients make it delicious. Excellent for a dinner party if you want to impress your family and friends.
Authentic Eggplant Parmesan
Notes
Left over Eggplant Parmesan stores for several days in the fridge if covered with plastic wrap or foil. A single portion can be heated in the microwave or 350 degrees F oven until bubbling gently at edges.
Ingredients
- 4 medium eggplants, sliced lengthwise ½ inch thick
- salt
- 3 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1 ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 ½ cups finely grated Parmesan
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 5 eggs, beaten
- 1 1/3 cup olive oil
- ½ cup finely chopped basil
- ½ cup finely chopped parsley
- ½ cup chopped fresh oregano
- 2 cup shredded mozzarella
- 4 cups Sheila’s Marinara Sauce (check out my recipe) or Pasta Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Lightly salt eggplant slices. Then place in a single layer on several layers of paper towels inside a rimmed baking sheet. Top with another layer of paper towels and more slices; repeat. Top with a final layer of paper towel. Let eggplant sit for an hour until it has released excess liquid. This step gives the eggplant a creamy texture when baked.
- Pulse panko breadcrumbs, oregano, pepper and ¾ cup finely grated Parmesan in a food processor. Place in a shallow bowl.
- Place flour in a shallow bowl.
- Beat eggs in a bowl.
- Working one at a time, dredge eggplant slices in flour, then dip in egg, allowing excess to drip off. Coat in breadcrumbs, packing all around, then shaking off excess. Place on wire racks.
- Heat 2/3 cup oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron or copper, over medium-high. Fry as many eggplant slices as comfortably fit in the pan, turning once, until deep golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and immediately press with more paper towel to absorb oil. Woking in batches, repeat with remaining slices. When you have fried about half of the eggplant, wipe the skillet, add remaining 2/3 cup oil and continue until all the eggplant has been fried. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
- Toss chopped herbs, mozzarella, and remaining 2/3 cup Parmesan in a bowl.
- Spread 1 cup marinara sauce over the bottom of a 13x9” baking pan; top with a layer of eggplant slices. Spread 1 cup marinara sauce over and sprinkle with ¼ cheese mixture. Add another layer of eggplant, followed by 1 cup marinara sauce and ¼ cheese mixture. Repeat layers with remaining slices, sauce, and ¼ cheese mixture.
- Bake for 1 hour without covering.
- Remove from over and sprinkle remaining cheese mixture over top and baked 15 minutes longer. Remove from oven. Let cool for 30 minutes. Top with sliced fresh basil just before slicing and serving.
