Description
Crispy layers of eggplant between homemade marinara sauce and lots of fresh mozzarella and parmigano reggiano cheese.
Ingredients
- Eggplant
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Onion
- Garlic Cloves
- Tomatoes With Basil
- Fresh Basil
- Breadcrumbs
- Dried Oregano
- Dried Thyme
- Eggs
- Whole Milk
- Parmigiano-reggiano Cheese
- Fresh Mozzarella Balls
- All-purpose Flour
- Kosher Salt
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper
- Vegetable Oil
Instructions
- Slice the eggplant into 1 / 2 inch round slices
- Arrange the slices on a baking sheet and sprinkle generously with kosher salt on both sides
- Set aside for 1 hour to let the bitter juices weep from the eggplant
- Meanwhile, make the marinara sauce
- Heat the 2 tbs olive oil over medium-high heat
- Saute the onion for 2 minutes and stir in the garlic
- Saute for another minute until lightly browned
- Add the can of tomatoes, a sprig of fresh basil and 1 / 2 tbs of the dried thyme
- Bring the sauce to a boil
- Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes
- Turn off the burner, remove the herb sprigs and leave the sauce until you are ready to assemble the casserole
- Heat enough vegetable oil over med-high heat in a large dutch over or high-side skillet to completely cover the slices of eggplant
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
- Place the flour in a deep plate
- Whisk the eggs with the milk in another another deep plate
- Combine the bread crumbs, 1 tsp salt, oregano and other 1 / 2 tbsp thyme and season well with black pepper in a third deep plate
- Transfer the eggplant to a colander and rinse well with cold water
- Blot the slices dry with clean kitchen towels
- Dredge the eggplant in the flour, then dip it in the egg and finally dredge it in the breadcrumb mixture
- Shake off any excess breading and lay the eggplant on a baking sheet
- Fry the eggplant in the vegetable oil in small batches
- The oil should be 400 degrees
- Basically, it needs to be hot
- Turn it over once during the frying process and it should be golden brown and crispy on both sides
- Remove the eggplant to a baking sheet lined with paper towels
- Repeat with remaining eggplant
- Prepare a 13×9 baking dish by brushing lightly with olive oil
- Cover the bottom of the baking dish with 1 / 3 of the marinara sauce
- Arrange half of the eggplant over the sauce
- Cover the eggplant with another 1 / 3 of the sauce
- Scatter half of the parmesan cheese and layer half of the mozzarella over the eggplant
- Repeat with the remaining eggplant, sauce, parmesan and mozzarella
- Bake until hot and just beginning to brown, about 30 minutes
- Serve immediately