Eggplant Parmigiana

I’ve been making eggplant parmigiana for decades, and if you’re like me, you’re making it the way most people (and cookbooks) instruct you to do, that is, frying the eggplant after coating the slices separately in flour, beaten eggs and then bread crumbs. The eggplant tastes great when it comes out of the fryer, with its crunchy coating and makes a delicious side dish as is.  But why fry it crispy, only to coat it in layers of tomato sauce and cheese, that will in essence, render the crispy eggplant completely soggy?

It’s only in the last couple of years that I’ve said “arrivederci” to the three step process of coating eggplant slices for parmigiana in favor of grilling eggplant for this classic casserole instead. You don’t have to  use an outdoor grill – a stovetop grill pan works just fine.

This method of making eggplant parmigiana is easier, and much lighter, and closer to the way it’s served in Italy. I recently made a couple of casseroles of this for a party, and everyone went back for seconds. I don’t think I’ll go back to the triple coating and frying method again – unless it’s to serve them straight out of the fryer as a side dish. 

Place some tomato sauce on the bottom of an ovenproof dish (I use a very basic marinara – no meat, and it’s better if it’s a little on the thin, or runny side since it thickens up when it bakes with the eggplant and cheeses). 

Layer with slices of eggplant, shredded mozzarella and parmigiana cheese. Continue for two or three more layers, depending on how much eggplant, sauce and cheese you have. When you’ve used the last of your eggplant slices, cover them with more tomato sauce and cheese and place in the oven.

Bake at 375 degrees until bubbly hot and browned on top. If needed, crank the oven temperature to 425 degrees for the last five minutes, but keep a close watch on it because it can easily burn,

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Eggplant Parmigiana

Cuisine: Italian

Author: Ciao Chow Linda

Grilling eggplant, instead of breading and frying, leads to a much lighter eggplant parmigiana.

printable recipe here

Ingredients

• Two large eggplant
• about 1 – 2 cups tomato sauce (on the thin side because it will thicken in the oven)
• olive oil to coat the eggplant slices
• salt, pepper
• seasoned salt
• dried basil
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Peel the eggplant, but not entirely.
2. Peel “stripes” in the eggplant, so some peel remains.
3. Drizzle olive oil over the slices, and season with salt pepper, (herbed salt if you have it) and dried basil.
4. Use an indoor grill pan to grill the eggplant slices (I don’t like using an outdoor grill for this recipe since I don’t want a “smoky” flavor).
5. Remove the eggplant slices when cooked through, and set aside.
6. Spread some tomato sauce in a casserole and place a layer of eggplant slices over the sauce.
7. Spread with a layer of the mozzarella cheese, then a layer of the parmesan.
8. Repeat with more sauce, another layer of the eggplant and cheeses
9. If you have enough eggplant, make a third layer, even if it’s only a partial layer, in order to use up the rest of the eggplant.
10. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is golden.
11. If the top is still not golden, turn the heat up higher to 425 degrees, but keep a close watch so it doesn’t burn.

3.5.3251

 

Four-Cheese Eggplant Parmigiana

So I'm in the kitchen --all set to start the recipe when I discover I have only three cheeses on hand. Suddenly it becomes a three-cheese, not four-cheese eggplant parmigiana sandwich like the delicious one I ate recently at "Tre Piani," in Princeton's Forrestal Village.
OK, I can live with that, I tell myself, but whoa -- then I realize I don't have any nice crusty Italian rolls. Should have checked the larder first. So my longed-for sandwich morphs into just eggplant parmigiana, with a salad on the side. Sometimes you gotta go with the flow.

There were no complaints -- we practically licked the plates. But next time I make it, I'm gonna go for the gusto and use all four cheeses, which I've included in the recipe below. The sandwich I ate at Tre Piani had a really sharp bite, and I'm guessing it was blue cheese, so I included some in mine. Naturally, you can use any combination or proportion of cheeses you like. Just keep Velveeta out of the picture -- please.

The cheeses may make this a really rich dish, but let's face it, they don't do much for your hips. So I made an adjustment for calories' sake and baked the eggplant slices, rather than fried them. Honestly, you'd never know the difference. And it may help come bathing suit season.

Four Cheese Eggplant Parmigiana

1 large eggplant
salt
1 cup flour
1 cup bread crumbs
1 large egg, beaten with 2 T. milk
olive oil, to coat pan
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated blue cheese
1/2 cup grated Asiago or Fontina cheese
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

about 2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce
(I used a good homemade sauce my brother Frank had canned and given to me)

About an hour before starting, slice the eggplant and sprinkle with salt. Place on paper towels and let sit for a half hour. Press down on the paper towels, then turn around to the other side and sprinkle with salt. After a half hour, press down on the paper towels again, or use more to get rid of excess moisture.

Dredge the slices with flour, then dip in the egg mixture and dredge with the bread crumbs. Spread a light layer of oil on a cookie sheet and place the eggplant on the sheet. Bake the slices for about 15 minutes in a preheated 425 degree oven. Flip the slices and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven.

In a heatproof casserole, spread a layer of tomato sauce and add a layer of the eggplant slices, cutting them to fit the casserole. Mix all the grated cheeses in a bowl and spread half of the mixture over the eggplant. Repeat the process - tomato sauce, eggplant slices and the cheeses. Spread a layer of tomato sauce on top to finish. Bake lightly covered in a 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Serves four normal appetites or two really ravenous folk.