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Eggplant Parmigiana

Source of Recipe

From "The Home Cook" by Alex Guarnaschelli


Recipe Introduction

"This is, hands down, my all-time Italian American favorite, inspired by one of those casual red sauce joints that lined Ninth Avenue in New York's Hell's Kitchen. Served volcanically hot, it encompasses everything I love about a hearty vegetarian meal."

List of Ingredients

Sauce:
â—¦ ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
â—¦ 3 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
â—¦ 6 large cloves garlic, grated
â—¦ Kosher salt
â—¦ 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
â—¦ 1 tablespoon sugar
â—¦ 3 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes

Eggplant:
â—¦ 1 cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ Kosher salt
â—¦ 6 large eggs
â—¦ 5 tablespoons whole milk
â—¦ 6 cups Italian-seasoned dried bread crumbs, toasted
â—¦ 1 tablespoon dried oregano
â—¦ 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
â—¦ 3 medium globe eggplants (about 2 ½ pounds), cut into ½-inch-thick rounds
â—¦ 1 ½ to 2 cups canola oil, as needed
â—¦ 1 ½ pounds whole-milk mozzarella cheese, cut into 1-inch slices
â—¦ 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese


Recipe

Make the tomato sauce: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and season with salt and the red pepper flakes. Cook until the onions become translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sugar and the tomatoes with their juices. Use a wooden spoon to break up some of the tomatoes, and cook, stirring from time to time, for 10 to 15 minutes. The tomatoes should be fairly broken down and the flavors coming together. Taste for seasoning. Set aside to cool.

Bread the eggplant: Put the flour in a medium shallow bowl and season it with salt. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. In a third bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the oregano and thyme. One by one, making sure to coat both sides, dip an eggplant slice in the flour and shake off any excess. Then dip it in the egg mixture and finally in the bread crumbs. Arrange the eggplant in a single layer on baking sheets.

Preheat the oven to 425° F.

Cook the eggplant: In a large skillet, pour canola oil to a depth of about ½ inch. Heat the oil until it begins to smoke lightly (alternatively, test with a thermometer and wait until it registers between 360° and 380° F). Working in batches, use a pair of kitchen tongs to add a single layer of the eggplant slices to the pan. Cook until they are golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the slices to a baking sheet lined with a kitchen towel to drain, and season them lightly with salt. Before adding another batch of slices to the pan, take care to reheat the oil.

Assemble and bake the lasagna: In an 11 x 17-inch baking dish, spoon a thin layer of the tomato sauce over the bottom. Top with a layer of the eggplant (the slices can overlap slightly), one-third of the mozzarella slices, and one-fourth of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Spoon another thin layer of sauce over the cheese, and repeat the layers two more times. Top with the remaining sauce and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Just before serving, put the dish under a hot broiler for a minute or two to get an extra-brown cheesy top.

Serves 10 to 12