If you’ve eaten eggplant before, there’s a good chance you’ve had it in the form of eggplant parmesan. This recipe sounds fancy and difficult, but don’t sweat the recipe – ‘sweat’ the eggplant.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants (I cut up two of the big purple ones, and didn’t even use all those)
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 c flour
- 4 c seasoned Italian bread crumbs
- Large jar (3 lbs.) of your favorite spaghetti sauce (I used Prego mushroom)
- 16 oz. mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 T fresh basil
Directions
1. Sweat the eggplant. “Sweating” an eggplant means to get out any bitterness that may have developed by making it sweat. Begin by slicing the eggplants into 1/4 inch thick slices. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of salt over all of the slices of eggplant – be sure to salt both sides. Set the salted, sliced eggplant into a colander and let it rest for about 30 minutes.After 30 minutes, the eggplant should begin to sweat (droplets of moisture being extracted by salt). Remove the eggplant from the colander and place the slices on a paper towel. Place a second paper towel on top to reomove all the excess moisture that has formed.
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Put the eggplant slices in a bag with the flour and shake until the eggplant are coated.
3. One at a time, dip eggplant slices in egg then coat in bread crumbs. Place in a single layer on baking sheets and bake 10 minutes on each side. My eggplant don’t often make it past this point because they get eaten!
4. In a 9×13 baking dish, spread spaghetti sauce to cover bottom. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat these 3 layers until all eggplant used up, ending with cheese on top. Sprinkle basil over the cheese.
5. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until golden brown.