Eggplant Parmesan
(Vegetarian)
Yield: 8 Servings
Eggplant Parmesan
Prep time: 2 HourCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 3 Hour
Ingredients
Marinara Sauce
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- 1/2 Yellow Onion, diced
- 5 Garlic Cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 TB Tomato Paste
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 28 oz can Whole Peeled Tomatoes
- 1/2 cup Fresh Basil
- Kosher Salt
Eggplant and Assembly
- 2 medium Eggplants, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick lengthwise
- 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1 cup Plain Breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup AP Flour
- 3 Eggs, whisked
- 1 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
- 8 oz Low Moisture Mozzarella, grated
- 8 oz Fresh Mozzarella, sliced
- Vegetable Oil, for frying
Instructions
Marinara Sauce
- In a large pot over medium heat, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
- Add in the canned tomatoes and basil leaves, breaking up the tomatoes a bit.
- Cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, uncover and simmer another 10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, allow the sauce to cool a bit, then transfer to a blender and puree until smooth.
- Season sauce with salt to taste. Add a pinch of sugar to the sauce if the tomatoes are a bit too acidic.
Eggplant and Assembly
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Spread eggplant slices on a paper towel lined baking sheet and lightly season with salt.
- Cover eggplant with more paper towels, cover with a sheet tray, and press down with something heavy, like a cast iron pan.
- Let the eggplant sit for about 45 minutes - this will remove moisture from the eggplant, creating a creamy texture after baked.
- To make the breading station, combine Panko breadcrumbs, plain breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese in one container. Add whisked eggs in another container, and flour in the third container.
- Dredge the eggplant in the flour, dip in the egg, and coat in the breadcrumb parmesan mixture. Repeat this process for each slice of eggplant.
- Heat a pan with a couple inches of vegetable oil to 350F.
- Working in batches, fry the eggplant until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Remove fried eggplant to paper towels and season with salt.
- To assemble, place a thin layer of sauce down in a baking dish, then a layer of eggplant, another layer of sauce, a layer of shredded low moisture mozzarella and sprinkle of parmesan.
- Repeat this to create three layers of eggplant. Place the fresh mozzarella on the top layer of cheese.
- Cover the baking dish with tin foil and place in the oven for 45 minutes.
- Uncover and broil until the top of golden and bubbly.
- Allow the eggplant to rest for 30 minutes before cutting into. This will make it easier to cut clean portions.
