Eggplant Parmigiana

Name: Eggplant Parmigiana
Prep time: 2 h 45 min
Cook time: 2 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 45 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Italian, European
Ingredients: 6 servings Freshly ground black pepper; 946 milliliters Italian-style breadcrumbs; 2 mediums eggplants, washed and cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds (about 2 1/2 pounds); 5 larges eggs; 118 milliliters all-purpose flour; 2 handfuls fresh basil, leaves only, torn; 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves; 6 cloves garlic, peeled and grated; 1 Tbsp granulated sugar; 6 servings Kosher salt; 680 grams mozzarella cheese, cut into thin slices; 59 milliliters extra-virgin olive oil; 1 Tbsp dried oregano; 118 milliliters grated Parmesan; 2 kilograms San Marzano whole plum tomatoes; 454 grams provolone cheese, grated; 1 Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes; 355 milliliters Vegetable oil, for frying, as needed, about; 3 Tbsps whole milk; 3 mediums yellow onions, peeled, halved, and cut into thin slices

Eggplant Parmigiana might be just the main course you are searching for. One serving contains 1295 calories, 69g of protein, and 71g of fat. This recipe serves 6. This recipe covers 58% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. If you have eggs, thyme leaves, oregano, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it. To use up the vegetable oil you could follow this main course with the Blueberry Coffee Cake #SundaySupper as a dessert. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes about 2 hours and 45 minutes. This recipe is typical of Mediterranean cuisine.

Instructions

Watch how to make this recipe.

I really think this is what I would eat for my last meal on Earth. It's so simple and, when done right, sublime. I cannot stop eating this!;

For the tomato sauce: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.

Ingredients you will need

Tomato Sauce

Olive Oil

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Add the onion and garlic and season with salt and red pepper flakes. Cook until the onions become translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Red Pepper Flakes

Garlic

Onion

Salt

Add the sugar and the canned tomatoes. Use a wooden spoon to break up some of the whole tomatoes and cook 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring from time to time. Taste for seasoning, the tomatoes should be fairly broken down and the flavors coming together. Cook for another few minutes if the tomatoes still taste like they need a little more time to break down. Set aside to cool.

Ingredients you will need

Canned Tomatoes

Tomato

Seasoning

Sugar

Equipment you will use

Wooden Spoon

For the eggplant (this step is optional, leave it out if you have limited time): Arrange the eggplant rounds in a single layer on 2 baking sheets.

Ingredients you will need

Eggplant

Equipment you will use

Baking Sheet

Sprinkle with salt on both sides of each slice and allow it to sit for about 1 hour. Salting it draws out the liquid and bitter flavor. After an hour, rinse with cold water and dry them thoroughly with a kitchen towel.

Ingredients you will need

Water

Salt

Equipment you will use

Kitchen Towels

Put the flour in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk and season with salt and pepper. In a third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the oregano and fresh thyme leaves and season with salt and pepper. Dip each eggplant slice in the flour and shake off any excess. Then, dip in the egg mixture, and finally in the breadcrumbs. Make sure to coat both sides of each slice of eggplant. Arrange them in single layers on the baking sheets.

Ingredients you will need

Fresh Thyme

Salt And Pepper

Breadcrumbs

Eggplant

Oregano

All Purpose Flour

Dip

Egg

Milk

Equipment you will use

Baking Sheet

Whisk

Bowl

In a large skillet, pour enough oil to accumulate about 1/2-inch in the bottom.

Ingredients you will need

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Heat the oil until it begins to smoke lightly (alternatively, test with a thermometer and wait until the oil registers between 380 degrees F and 400 degrees F). Use a pair of kitchen tongs to add a single layer of the eggplant to the pan. Cook them until they are golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side.

Ingredients you will need

Eggplant

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Tongs

Kitchen Thermometer

Frying Pan

Remove from the oil and transfer to a baking sheet fitted with a kitchen towel so the eggplant can drain as the others cook. Season lightly with salt. Take care to reheat the oil back up to temperature before adding another batch of slices to the pan.

Ingredients you will need

Eggplant

Salt

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Kitchen Towels

Baking Sheet

Frying Pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Equipment you will use

Oven

To assemble: In a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, spoon about 1/4 of the tomato sauce on the bottom. Top with a layer of the fried eggplant; the eggplant slices can overlap slightly. Top with about 1/3 of the mozzarella slices.

Ingredients you will need

Tomato Sauce

Mozzarella

Eggplant

Equipment you will use

Baking Pan

Sprinkle with about 1/4 of the Parmesan and provolone cheeses. Top with a layer of torn basil leaves. Spoon sauce and repeat the layering 2 more times to make 3 layers. End with the remaining mozzarella. Carefully press the layers down firmly into the dish once assembled.

Ingredients you will need

Fresh Basil

Mozzarella

Provolone

Parmesan

Sauce

Place the dish in the top part of the oven and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. For extra browning, put the dish under the broiler for a minute or two just before serving to get an extra brown cheesy top. I always nibble on a bit of that before sharing it with my friends!

Ingredients you will need

Cheese

Equipment you will use

Oven

Equipment

Recommended wine: Chianti, Trebbiano, Verdicchio

Chianti, Trebbiano, and Verdicchio are my top picks for Italian. Italians know food and they know wine. Trebbiano and Verdicchio are Italian white wines that pair well with fish and white meat, while Chianti is a great Italian red for heavier, bolder dishes. The Barone Ricasoli Colledila Chianti Classico Gran Selezione with a 4.5 out of 5 star rating seems like a good match. It costs about 85 dollars per bottle.