Eggplant Parmesan

If for some reason I were to ever become a vegetarian (highly unlikely), I could almost guarantee you that I would be eating eggplant like it was going out of style. This weird looking (reminiscent of Gonzo's nose, actually), difficult to properly cook/prepare, awesome-shade-for-an-accent-wall-colored vegetable is pretty delicious and not as nutritious as I once thought. Well, anything that's dredged in flour, egg, and bread crumbs and then fried automatically loses its nutritional value, but since it's a vegetable after all, it's gotta be the least bit healthy, right?! Of course right. Oh, I forgot to add smothered in cheese and sauce, too. Scratch that healthy part. Let's just call eggplant what it really is: a hearty meat-substitute that is often used as a vehicle for other tasty things like cheese.


Anyway, here is a delicious recipe that I got from the Food Network for Eggplant Parm! Boun Appetito!


2 medium eggplant (I used one), cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds
Kosher salt, as needed
4 cups breadcrumbs (the recipe calls for fresh, but I found that the Italian-style Vigo brand bread crumbs are delicious, too)
Dried oregano
Dried thyme
Black pepper
Vegetable oil
All-purpose flour
6 large eggs, beaten (I used 4 eggs because that's all I had and I didn't feel like going back to the grocery)
5-6 cups marinara sauce (I would have used my homemade sauce but, I was lazy. I used Mama DiSalvo's instead!  You can use whatever your little heart desires.)
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (or more, if you're like me and you love cheese)
1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Arrange the eggplant slices on several baking sheets and sprinkle generously all over with kosher salt. Set aside to let the bitter juices weep from the eggplant, about 1 hour.

Transfer the eggplant to a colander in the sink, and rinse well under cold running water. Transfer eggplant to a work surface and blot very dry with paper towels.

In a large bowl, whisk together the 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, breadcrumbs, oregano, thyme, and season with pepper.

Place the flour in a medium lipped plate or bowl. In another medium bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. Dredge an eggplant slice in the flour, then dip it in the egg, and finally dredge it in the breadcrumb mixture. Shake off any excess breading and transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.

In a large straight-sided skillet, pour the oil to a depth of 1/2 inch. Heat the oil over medium heat.

Working in small batches, fry the eggplant slices, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Using tongs, transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and season with salt to taste. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly brush a 15 x 10- x 2-inch-baking dish with olive oil. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with 1/3 of the marinara sauce and arrange half of the eggplant over the sauce. Cover the eggplant with another 1/3 of the sauce. Scatter half of the Parmesan and half of the mozzarella over the sauced eggplant. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, sauce, Parmesan, and mozzarella. Bake until hot and just beginning to brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Not so beautiful, but extremely yummy.