Over the years I tried out several eggplant parmesan recipes, but I was always disappointed. The flavours were too strong, it was runny and limp and the components remained disparate parts, failing to come together. Eventually I realized that the parts have to be delicious on their own, otherwise putting them together will not morph them into something wonderful. Salting the eggplant slices must be one of the most revolting things ever invented. That... and commercial tomato sauce. Those are always acidic.
So I decided to use breaded eggplants and mild, freshly made tomato sauce in my recipe. Breading and frying the eggplant slices gets rid of the bitterness and the breadcrumbs absorb all the superfluous fluid. Panco does not work here, you need plain breadcrumbs. Now for the sauce! Make your own tomato sauce. It is not overly time consuming. From start to finish, it took me 30 minutes. But boy was it ever worth it! This was the best eggplant parmesan I ever tasted!
EGGPLANT PARMESAN
2 large, but young eggplants, sliced
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup plain fine breadcrumbs
3/4 cup light olive oil
1 batch of Fresh Tomato Sauce [click on the link]
12 large slices of mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shaved
• Prepare the fresh tomato sauce and set it aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375F.
• Take a slice off the first eggplant lengthwise and turn the eggplant onto the cut side. This will stabilize the eggplant and will make it easy to slice. Repeat with the second eggplant.
• Do not salt the eggplants, salt will make them limp and breading them will be difficult.
• Next set out 3 shallow bowls side by side. Put flour into the first one, beaten egg into the second and breadcrumbs into the third bowl.
• One by one dip the eggplant slices into the flour, the beaten eggs and finally into the breadcrumbs.
• When all the eggplant slices are breaded, heat the oil and in 3 to 4 batches fry the breaded eggplant slices on medium heat until crispy and golden brown on one side. Now turn them over and fry the other sides golden brown.
• Place the fried eggplants on paper towel and sprinkle them with salt. Repeat with the remaining slices, and make sure not to crowd the fry pan.
• Line the bottom of a square casserole dish with a little tomato sauce.
• Arrange half of the eggplants on the top.
• Cover the eggplants with half of the sliced mozzarella and half of the shaved parmesan cheese.
• Spoon half of the remaining tomato sauce over the cheese layer.
• Arrange the remaining eggplant slices on the top.
• Spoon the remaining fresh tomato sauce over the eggplants.
• Finally place the remaining mozzarella and shaved parmesan on the top.
• Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the dish is heated through and the cheeses begin to brown.
• Remove dish from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
• This recipe will yield 4 regular and 2 large sized servings.
