Eggplant Parmesan

From Yazh Farm

35 minServes 5egg plant
Eggplant Parmesan

Just like my mom, I make my own marinara sauce by simmering crushed tomatoes for about 20 minutes. Then, for fresh, herbaceous flavor, I add generous pinches of oregano and thyme to the eggplant’s Parmesan and panko coating. Instead of frying the breaded eggplant slices, I bake them until nicely crisp and golden brown. Finally, I layer them with the homemade marinara sauce and slices of fresh mozzarella. And of course, I can’t resist topping the whole thing with big leaves of basil from our garden once it’s out of the oven!

Ingredients

  • herb
  • Parmesan
  • egg plant
  • eggs
  • basil

Method

  1. Bread the eggplant. Mix together the herb, Parmesan, and panko coating in one shallow bowl, and whisk 3 eggs in another. Dip each eggplant slice into the egg mixture before tossing it in the panko. Make sure the eggplant is well-coated on all sides!
  2. Bake the eggplant. Arrange the breaded eggplant slices in a single layer on 2 parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 400°F until tender and golden brown. If you have a convection setting on your oven, I highly recommend using it here. It helps the panko get especially browned and crisp. I don’t miss the traditional fried eggplant at all!
  3. Layer it up! Spread some tomato sauce in the bottom of a large casserole dish. Add a layer of eggplant slices, more marinara, and half the sliced mozzarella. Repeat the layers, finishing it off with any remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
  4. Bake! Bake at 400°F for about 20 minutes, or until the cheese is starting to bubble. Then, turn on the broiler for a couple of minutes, so the cheese starts to brown in places.
  5. Garnish and serve. Let the hot eggplant Parmesan rest for a few minutes before slicing and serving. Then, top it with fresh basil leaves and dig in!