All too often eggplant parmesan is a greasy, fried mess of overcooked eggplant and runny tomato sauce smothered beyond reason with cheese. To avoid this, start by baking the eggplant with just a touch of oil. The resulting eggplant has a rich, smokey flavor with a fraction of the fat you'd get from frying. Top the eggplant with a simple, homemade sauce and bake it to perfection.
* Multiply serving weight in grams by the carbs-per-gram ratio to calculate the total estimated carbs.
Eggplant
907g / 2 large eggplants (about 2 pounds)
Slice eggplant into 1/4-inch thick rounds and place in a colander.
2 tablespoons kosher salt
Sprinkle salt over eggplant and toss to combine in colander. Set over sink to let salt draw out water from eggplant for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to top and lower third positions and pre-heat oven to 425°F.
4 teaspoon canola oil
Using a pastry brush, evenly coat two baking sheets with 2 teaspoons of oil (each). This thin layer of oil will be used instead of frying the eggplant. Set baking sheets aside.
Tear bread into quarters and place in a food processor. Pulse several times until bread has turn into a fine, even crumb, about 30 seconds. Transfer crumbs to a wide mouth bowl.
140g / 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
Add cheese, salt, and pepper to breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Set aside.
124g / 1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
In a large zip-lock bag, add flour and pepper and shake to combine. Set aside.
5 large eggs
Beat eggs in a pie plate or shallow glass bowl. Set aside.
Once eggplant has drained, remove four to six slices at a time. Arrange on a triple layer of paper towels or clean towels. Using another layer of paper towels or clean kitchen towels, press down on top of eggplant to remove as mush moisture as possible without crushing eggplant.
Place slices in plastic bag with flour and shake to evenly coat eggplant with flour.
Remove two slices of eggplant and dip each side in beaten eggs. Use a pair of tongs to flip eggplant in eggs to ensure that the layer of flour is covered with a thin layer of egg.
Remove egg-covered slices and place in bowl with breadcrumbs and cheese. Using your hands, generously coat each slice of eggplant with breadcrumbs. Place covered eggplant in a single layer on oiled baking sheets.
Repeat steps of patting dry, coating with flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs for remaining slices.
Once eggplant is prepared, bake at 425°F for 30 minutes. After the first 10 minutes, switch positions of sheets in oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove sheets from oven and flip eggplant using a spatula or pair of tongs. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until eggplant is browned and crisp. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
Tomato Sauce
794g / 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
411g / 14 ounces diced tomatoes
While eggplant is baking, open tomatoes and drain small portion of liquid from each. Set aside.
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Heat olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and garlic is light golden, about 4 minutes.
reserved tomatoes
Add reserved tomatoes and bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced, about 15 minutes.
½ cup fresh basil leaves chopped
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
Stir in basil, salt, and pepper and adjust seasonings to taste.
Assemble and Bake
12 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce in the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish. Layer half of eggplant slices on top of sauce. Spoon a small layer of tomato sauce on top of each eggplant slice, about 1 cup total. Place half of mozzarella on top of the eggplant slices. Layer in the remaining eggplant slices and spoon remaining tomato sauce on top of eggplant. Add remaining mozzarella cheese and sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese.
Bake uncovered at 425°F until bubbling and cheese is slightly browned, about 13 to 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.
12 leaves fresh basil
Garnish eggplant stacks with basil leaves and serve.
From MakeBetterFood.com. . (makebetterfood.com/recipes/eggplant-parmesan/). Adapted from Cook's Illustrated. (January 2004.)
Slice eggplant into 1/4-inch thick rounds and place in a colander.
Sprinkle salt over eggplant and toss to combine in colander. Set over sink to let salt draw out water from eggplant for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to top and lower third positions and pre-heat oven to 425°F.
Using a pastry brush, evenly coat two baking sheets with 2 teaspoons of oil (each). This thin layer of oil will be used instead of frying the eggplant. Set baking sheets aside.
Tear bread into quarters and place in a food processor. Pulse several times until bread has turn into a fine, even crumb, about 30 seconds. Transfer crumbs to a wide mouth bowl.
Add cheese, salt, and pepper to breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Set aside.
In a large zip-lock bag, add flour and pepper and shake to combine. Set aside.
Beat eggs in a pie plate or shallow glass bowl. Set aside.
Once eggplant has drained, remove four to six slices at a time. Arrange on a triple layer of paper towels or clean towels. Using another layer of paper towels or clean kitchen towels, press down on top of eggplant to remove as mush moisture as possible without crushing eggplant.
Place slices in plastic bag with flour and shake to evenly coat eggplant with flour.
Remove two slices of eggplant and dip each side in beaten eggs. Use a pair of tongs to flip eggplant in eggs to ensure that the layer of flour is covered with a thin layer of egg.
Remove egg-covered slices and place in bowl with breadcrumbs and cheese. Using your hands, generously coat each slice of eggplant with breadcrumbs. Place covered eggplant in a single layer on oiled baking sheets.
Repeat steps of patting dry, coating with flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs for remaining slices.
Once eggplant is prepared, bake at 425°F for 30 minutes. After the first 10 minutes, switch positions of sheets in oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove sheets from oven and flip eggplant using a spatula or pair of tongs. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until eggplant is browned and crisp. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
While eggplant is baking, open tomatoes and drain small portion of liquid from each. Set aside.
Heat olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and garlic is light golden, about 4 minutes.
Add reserved tomatoes and bring sauce to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced, about 15 minutes.
Stir in basil, salt, and pepper and adjust seasonings to taste.
Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce in the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish. Layer half of eggplant slices on top of sauce. Spoon a small layer of tomato sauce on top of each eggplant slice, about 1 cup total. Place half of mozzarella on top of the eggplant slices. Layer in the remaining eggplant slices and spoon remaining tomato sauce on top of eggplant. Add remaining mozzarella cheese and sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese.
Bake uncovered at 425°F until bubbling and cheese is slightly browned, about 13 to 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.
Garnish eggplant stacks with basil leaves and serve.
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