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eggplant parmesan

smalltownwoman avatar
Recipe by
Beth Pierce
@smalltownwoman
Ofallon, MO

Classic Eggplant Parmesan with pan fried breaded eggplant layered with marinara sauce and plenty of fresh mozzarella and parmesan. This scrumptious Italian casserole always gets rave reviews from friends and family. It is a hearty meal by itself but for a complete company worthy meal I like to serve it with Italian Chopped Salad and Cheese Garlic Bread.

yield 8 serving(s)
prep time 30 Min
cook time 40 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For eggplant parmesan

  • 2 md
    to large eggplant
  • 2 Tbsp
    coarse sea salt
  • 2
    eggs
  • 2 Tbsp
    milk
  • 1 1/2 c
    breadcrumbs
  • 1 Tbsp
    fresh thyme
  • 1 1/2 tsp
    dried oregano
  • 1 tsp
    garlic powder
  • 1 tsp
    onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp
    fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 c
    shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 c
    vegetable oil
  • 32 oz
    marinara sauce
  • 1 c
    thin sliced mozzarella
  • 1 c
    shredded mozzarella
  • fresh basil cut in ribbons

How To Make eggplant parmesan

  • 1
    Slice the eggplant 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle with coarse salt and place it on a rack over a sink to sweat for 1 hour. Wipe the moisture and excess salt off the eggplant with paper towels.
  • 2
    Whisk the eggs and milk in a bowl. In a separate bowl add the panko breadcrumbs, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese. Dry the eggplant well, dip it in the egg mixture, and then into the bread crumb mixture. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
  • 3
    Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to a skillet over medium heat. Brown the eggplant on both sides working in batches. Keep the fried eggplant crispy and warm in the oven while you work in batches.
  • 4
    Remove the eggplant from the oven. Raise the oven to 375 degrees. Place a single layer of eggplant in a 9×13 inch casserole dish. Spread a layer of marinara over the top of the eggplant. Layer with more fried eggplant, then more marinara, along with thin slices of mozzarella, and the remaining shredded Parmesan. Finish with one more layer of eggplant, marinara, and shredded mozzarella.
  • 5
    Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Turn on the broiler the last 2 minutes or so to lightly brown the top of the cheese. Stay close by as broilers are unpredictable especially in older ovens.
  • 6
    Top with basil ribbons. Serve promptly.
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