Eggplant Parmesan

So, today I ventured into an unknown cooking category. I LOVE meat, but I have decided to cook for a friend who just had a baby! I decided to try my hand at Eggplant Parmesan. I got the idea while watching “The Best Thing I Ever Made,” so I scurried to the food network and found the recipe.

While I changed a lot, I really just used the recipe as a base and changed things as I went. I ended up with a wonderful recipe of my own, and will definitely be making this more. It is also a meal you can make then freeze and bake later!

Ingredients:

The Sauce:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic
2 medium onions cut into thin slices
salt
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 28-ounce cans whole San Marzano plum tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

1 tablespoon Oregano

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

The Eggplant:
2 medium eggplants (about 2 1/2 pounds total), washed and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
salt
1 cup all-purpose flour (I used white wheat flour)
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons whole milk
3 cups Italian-style breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Vegetable oil, for frying, as needed (1 1/2 to 2 cups)
1 1/2 pounds mozzarella, cut into thin slices (or torn into thick slices)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan,
1/2 cup grated provolone

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cut your eggplant into slices about 1/2 inch thick and lay out on a couple of baking sheets. Sprinkle both sides with salt and let sit for 45 minutes to an hour. The salt will bring out the extra moisture.

2. Pour your olive oil into a LARGE skillet  (I say large because I had to eventually transfer this to a pot, which you may want to start with a pot) this will fill up very fast! Once your oil is hot, throw in your garlic cloves and onions, season with a little salt and the red pepper flakes, let this cook in your pan for 5-7 minutes or until your onions get almost translucent.

3. Once your onions have cooked through add in the 2 cans of tomatoes and 1 can of sauce (you can use just 3 cans of whole tomatoes, but I am not a whole tomato person so I did 2 can tomatoes/1 can sauce). Add in your sugar, oregano and Italian seasoning. Let it cook for 15-20 minutes, breaking up the whole tomatoes as you stir. If it seems like it is getting thick you can add a cup or so of water to it.                                                                                    

**** don’t mind my swiffer in the background haha! I was cleaning! 

4. While the sauce is cooking on the stove, get our 3 separate bowls (1 for flour, 1 for eggs and milk, and one for italian breadcrumbs, oregano and thyme). Wash the salt off of the eggplant and dry. Once dry, coat the eggplant with flour, then dip it into the egg wash and then cover it with the breadcrumbs. 

5. Pour your vegetable oil about 1/2 inch deep and let it get home. Use tongs to put the eggplant into the oil and let them get golden brown on both sides. Place fried eggplant on a paper towel to dry off the excess grease. 

I added in an extra step here, because I do not like whole tomatoes or onions, but I used the emersion blender and blended my sauce. Then sat it to the side to cool.

 

 Once all of that is complete, it is time to layer! In a 9x13 pan (I used 2 5” pans because I am making this for someone else) pour a layer of sauce to coat the bottom. Place the eggplant on top of the sauce, it is fine to overlap some of the eggplant. take 1/2 the mozzarella and layer it on top of the eggplant. Repeat this again ending with the mozzarella. The sprinkle the provolone and parmesan on top to finish it off. 

 

Place in the oven and back for 3-45 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden.

This turned out really well! I have never cooked with eggplant before, so I would say it was a success for my first time! Like I said I did 2 smaller pans and froze one for them and baked the other for ourselves! Of course, I was too hungry to take a finished picture! 

Enjoy!