I made this last night, my sister-in-law requested eggplant parmesan and this is my go-to recipe. It is the one that helped me change my mind that I didn’t like eggplant even though I had never even tried it. It is also the recipe that brought San Marzano canned tomatoes to my pantry. I do found this recipe in a Food Network Magazine. It is an Alex Guarnaschelli’s recipe.
We do try to grow eggplant and sometimes we have a few this year they were very small. I think that is why she requested this for dinner, there was a small one sitting next to the sink that we had picked and I just washed. It is so small that it did not make it into my dinner.
I have been asked numerous times to do videos, I am playing around with it, definitely not ready to share anything. I still have no idea how to edit things, I tend to play around with it and hope to be able to get something that people might actually click on to see.
Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium onions finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 28 ounce can San Marzano plum tomatoes
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Eggplant Parmesan
- 2 medium eggplants
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ tablespoons milk
- 2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 package fresh mozzarella cheese thinly sliced
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- ½ pound provolone sliced cheese
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Slice the eggplant and sprinkle both sides with kosher salt and let sit while you make the sauce. Place on paper towels on a sheet pan for about an hour - you can skip this but it it does help with taking out some of the bitterness. Even if you do this step before you make the sauce will help a little. Rinse the eggplant under water and dry off thoroughly with some towels. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350’ using an 11 x 13 baking dish
Sauce
- In a large skillet add the olive oil heat over medium. Add the onions saute for 1-2 minutes; add the garlic and season with salt and pepper and the red pepper flakes. Saute till the onion are translucent about 6-7 minutes. Add the sugar and tomatoes, while you are pouring them out of the can squeeze to break them up a bit. Reduce heat to medium low and cook stirring occasionally about 15-20 minutes.
Breading and Frying eggplant
- Get out 3 pie plates or whatever you use when you batter and fry. Flour goes in one, eggs and milk in another and the third combine the breadcrumbs, oregano and thyme. Make sure to salt and pepper each pie plate. Dredge each eggplant round in the flour, shake off excess. Dip in the egg mixture and then the breadcrumbs, coating both sides. Lay each round on a baking sheet in a single layer.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke lightly (between 380’ and 400’) Use tongs to add and flip the eggplant, making sure to each piece is golden brown, I like them a little extra crispy so they are not mushy. Transfer to a sheet pan covered with paper towels. Repeat until all pieces are fried.
- Spoon some sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Layer eggplant over sauce slightly overlapping, top with some of all 3 cheese; repeat with remaining sauce, eggplant and cheeses. Press the layers firmly into the dish. Bake until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly. About 35-40 minutes.