Eggplant Parmesan is one of my favorite dishes, and one I make a lot when we have our summer garden.
You can roast or grill the eggplant, but it doesn't yield the same flavor and texture satisfaction that frying does.
Everyone has a different idea on how to prepare eggplant for frying: peel or not, salt & drain first, dip first in egg and/or flour or not. I suppose I've opted for the simplest procedure and it works perfectly.
These striated eggplants are from our summer garden, although I used elongated, dark purple eggplant in this recipe.
When eggplant is fresh and tender I don't salt and drain because the eggplant hasn't become bitter yet. I dip the slices in egg, then dip in flour and move right to the frying. Eggplants are like sponges so you need to fry in very hot oil kept at an even temperature to avoid burning the slices.
Have plenty of old newspapers on hand. They're great for absorbing excess oil. Spread them out, cover with paper towels or absorbent paper and you're good to go.
Sometimes I bake the eggplant Parmesan in individual cooking rings; the presentation is lovely.
Eggplant Parmesan
Serves 6-8
Eggplant Parmesan Ingredients
Eggplant, 4 large or 6 medium, peeled or not, about 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds)
For the sauce or tomatoes:Tomatoes, peeled, canned or fresh, 750 grams (26 ½ ounces)
Olive oil, 4 tablespoons
Garlic, one large clove, minced
Onion, one medium, finely chopped
Salt, 2 teaspoons
OR:
5 large ripe tomatoes, sliced thinly: about ¼ centimeter (1/10 inch)
Olive oil for drizzling, about ½ cupFor frying the eggplant:
3 eggs, lightly beaten, to dip the eggplant slices
Flour, for dusting the eggplant slices, about 1 cup
Oil for frying, preferably peanut oil, ½ to 1 liter (2 to 4 cups)
Mozzarella, drained, cut into small cubes or strips, ½ kilogram (1.1 pounds)
Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, about 1 cup
Basil leaves, abut twenty, torn into pieces
Optional special equipment: Stainless steel food rings 9 centimeters (3 ½ inch) in diameter & 5 centimeters (2 inches) high
Eggplant Parmesan Cooking Instructions
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
For the sauce or tomatoes:Sauté the garlic and onion in the olive oil until tender and translucent.
Add the tomatoes and simmer covered on low about 20 to 30 minutes.
OR:
Thinly slice the tomatoes: about ¼ centimeter (1/10 inch)
Fry the eggplant:
While the sauce is cooking begin preparing the eggplants. Slice the eggplant into roughly ¼ to ⅓ inch slices (½ centimeter) thickness.Dip the slices into the beaten eggs.
Dust the slices with flour.
Fry the eggplant slices, a few at a time, then drain on paper towels laid on top of newspapers for extra absorption.
Line a baking sheet with oven paper and place the food rings on top of the sheet.
Alternatively, use a standard lasagna pan.
To assemble the eggplant:
Assemble the eggplant Parmesan, in alternating layers: first sauce (or a drizzling of olive oil and tomato slices), eggplant, then sauce or tomato slices, basil leaves, then mozzarella, then Parmesan.
Once the molds or lasagna pan are full, top each one with a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes at 190° C (375°F), until the tops are golden.Top lightly wit tin foil if the eggplant browns too much.
Allow to cool slightly, remove from the food rings, and serve the Eggplant Parmesan.
Equipment
- Optional special equipment: Stainless steel food rings roughly 9 centimeters (3 ½ inch) in diameter & 5 centimeters (2 inches) high.
Ingredients
- 3 kilograms Eggplant 4 large or 6 medium, peeled or not, about 3 kilograms
For the sauce or tomatoes:
- 750 grams Tomatoes peeled, canned or fresh
- 4 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 Garlic clove minced
- 1 Onion medium, finely chopped
- Salt
2 teaspoons
OR:
- 5 Tomatoes large ripe tomatoes, sliced thinly: about ¼ centimeter (1/10 inch)
- Olive oil for drizzling
about ½ cup
For frying the eggplant:
- 3 eggs lightly beaten, to dip the eggplant slices
- 1 ½ cup Flour for dusting the eggplant slices, about 1 cup
- ½ liter Oil for frying preferably peanut oil or other vegetable oil
For assembling the eggplant parmesan:
- ½ kilogram Mozzarella drained, cut into small cubes or strips
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 20 Basil leaves abut twenty, torn into pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
For the sauce, or tomatoes:
- Sauté the garlic and onion in the olive oil until tender and translucent.
- Add the tomatoes and simmer covered on low about 20 to 30 minutes.
OR:
- Thinly slice the tomatoes: about ¼ centimeter (1/10 inch)
Fry the eggplant:
- While the sauce is cooking begin preparing the eggplants.
- Slice the eggplant into roughly ¼ to ⅓ inch slices (½ centimeter) thickness.
- Dip the slices into the beaten eggs.
- Dust the slices with flour.
- Fry the eggplant slices, a few at a time, then drain on paper towels laid on top of newspapers for extra absorption.
To assemble the eggplant:
- Line a baking sheet with oven paper and place the food rings on top of the sheet.
- Alternatively, use a standard lasagna pan.
- Assemble the eggplant Parmesan, in alternating layers: first sauce (or a drizzling of olive oil and tomato slices), eggplant, then sauce or tomato slices, basil leaves, then mozzarella, then Parmesan.
- Once the molds or lasagna pan are full, top each one with a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 190° C (375°F), until the tops are golden.
- Top lightly wit tin foil if the eggplant browns too much.
- Allow to cool slightly, remove from the food rings, and serve.
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