Eggplant Parmigiana

Name: Eggplant Parmigiana
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 3 medium eggplants, or 5 or 6 smaller eggplants (about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds total); 1 tablespoon coarse sea or kosher salt; 3 large eggs; 1 teaspoon salt; All-purpose flour for dredging; 2 cups fine, dry bread crumbs; 1/2 cup vegetable oil, or as needed; 1/2 cup olive oil, or as needed; Tomato Sauce (page 151); 2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; 12 fresh basil leaves; 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese or Italian Fontina cheese, cut into slices 1/3 inch thick

December 9, 2011

When I bread and fry things like these slices of eggplant, I make a little assembly line that leads from the flour, to the eggs, on to the bread crumbs, and right into the pan of hot oil. Placing three rectangular cake pans side by side next to the stove works nicely—there is very little cleanup afterward—but any container wide enough to hold several slices of eggplant at a time will work just as well. This dish can be made with roasted eggplant slices instead of breaded and fried eggplant. Although it will be good, it will not be as tasty, nor will it have the texture of the fried eggplant. The roasted version is very simple: Drain and rinse the eggplant as described above, but instead of coating the eggplant slices, toss them with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Brush a baking sheet with olive oil, and set the eggplant slices side by side on the baking sheet. Bake them in a 450° F preheated oven for 20 minutes, till they are golden brown. Let them cool, and proceed to layer and bake the ingredients as below.

Recipe notes

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