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Eggplant Parmesan

Source of Recipe

From "Mad Hungry: Family" by Lucinda Quinn


Recipe Introduction

"Like many Italian grandmothers, mine taught me to make eggplant parm by coating eggplant with seasoned flour, eggs, and bread crumbs, frying the slices in olive oil, and then layering them with plenty of cheese and sauce. But frying all those eggplant slices is such a pain (and they suck up so much oil) that I created this updated version. It skips most of the oil — and the time needed to stand over a hot, splattering pan — but still delivers that longed-for crusty, cheesy eggplant flavor."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 medium eggplants (about 1 pound each), sliced crosswise into â…”-inch-thick slices
â—¦ Coarse salt
â—¦ 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
â—¦ 4 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ Two 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes, pulsed in a blender
â—¦ ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
â—¦ 6 cups fresh bread crumbs
â—¦ 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
â—¦ 4 large eggs
â—¦ 2 cups all-purpose flour
â—¦ Freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ Two 8-ounce balls fresh mozzarella, sliced


Recipe

Season the eggplant slices all over with salt and arrange on two baking sheets.

To make the tomato sauce:
Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Swirl in the oil. When it shimmers, add the garlic and sauté, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Combine the bread crumbs and cheese in a shallow dish. Whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt in another dish. Spread the flour in a third dish. Using a clean cloth towel or paper towel, press down on both sides of the eggplant slices to remove the moisture created by the salting process. Ready a couple of clean baking sheets (top with a wire cooling rack if you can) before beginning the breading process.

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Using a fork or tongs, dip each slice of eggplant (on both sides) in the flour, then in the eggs, and finally the bread crumbs. Lay each piece on the baking sheets and let the breaded slices rest to dry out for 10 to 15 minutes. Bake until a deep golden crust forms, 30 to 40 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375° F.

Spread a thin layer of the tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Arrange some of the eggplant slices to cover the bottom of the pan. Top each piece of eggplant with one slice of mozzarella and then spoon a little tomato sauce over the mozzarella. Continue layering with the remaining ingredients. Spoon a thin layer of tomato sauce over the top layer and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper. Drizzle with oil and bake until golden brown and bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes.

Serves 8