Eggplant Parmesan

August 5, 2021 Dexie Jane eggplant parmesan, eggplant parmesan recipe, eggplant recipes, eggplants, how-to make eggplant parmesan, vegetarian recipes

I’m not going to regal you with a very long story today because making Eggplant Parmesan felt like it took me all day to make(and when you’re a foodblogger who has to document everything, it took even longer 😅🙅‍♀️) so off we go to the recipe and instructions. A reminder to plan your chores or exercises or whathaveyous within the 2-hour window of the salting process. Don’t worry, it’s delicious so all of the time spent making Eggplant Parmesan is all worth it. (This recipe was adapted from Simply Recipes)

Eggplant Parmesan

Print Recipe

Ingredients

3 large eggplants
1 tbsp salt (or more)
1/4 cup olive oil divided
1 jar marinara or spaghetti sauce (make your own or save time by using store-bought)
4 large eggs (beaten)
2 1/2 cups flour (+more if necessary)
3 cups breadcrumbs (+more if necessary)
1 cup grated parmesan cheese (+more if necessary)
1 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese (+more if necessary)
1 cup more grated parmesan cheese (for baking)

Instructions

SALTING EGGPLANTS

Slice the eggplants 1/4 to 1/2 think rounds. Place the slices on a rack with sheet pan underneath. Sprinkle salt on each side of the slices of eggplants. Leave them for 2 hours. This process takes the moisture out of the eggplants.
After 2 hours, pat dry each side with paper towel.
Wash and dry the same 2 sheet pans you used while salting the eggplants. Then spread some of the olive oil on the sheet pans. Set aside.

DREDGING STATION

Beat the eggs in a bowl. Put flour in a paper plate. In another paper plate, combine breadcrumbs and grated parmesan cheese. (Using paper plates would be for easy clean up.)
Preheat the oven to 425°. First, lightly dredge each side of eggplant slices with the flour then dipped in the egg mixture then into the breadcrumbs mixture. Place the slices into the oiled-sheet pans.
Drizzle the remaining olive oil on top of the breaded eggplant slices. Bake them in the oven for 20 minutes, flipping once halfway into baking time.
Take them out of the oven and leave 'em to cool. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 350°.

ASSEMBLE

Put some sauce into the baking pan.
First layer of the breaded eggplants. Sprinkle some of the shredded Mozzarella cheese then some of the grated Parmesan cheese. Add some of the sauce. Repeat the layering. Use the small slices of eggplants to fill the small gaps. For the final layer, spread the sauce on top of the last eggplant slices then both cheeses.
Bake it in the oven for 30 to 35minutes. Take it out and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

You can use fresh slices of Mozzarella cheese. I didn't think about that when I scrolled over the recipe I found online so I just absentmindedly grabbed the shredded kind. Either way would work.

Do not skip the cooling process after baking because this is HOT!

While it felt like it took all day to make all the steps are definitely necessary. The salting process took the moisture out of the eggplants. Make sure to pat dry when that’s over. Do not worry about the salt overpowering the eggplants. It won’t be salty once baked. Breading then baking the eggplants kept it firm and not soggy at all. I was amazed how pretty the slices were and not falling apart at all especially with the sauce and cheese all over it.