Excellent Eggplant Parmesan!

Tonight's dinner of Eggplant Parmesan was spectacular, if I do say so myself!  Actually, my future husband proclaimed this dish as being the BEST Eggplant Parmesan he has ever had (and that I have ever made) :-)  He also stated that he "would order this at a restaurant!" Needless to say, I was grinning ear to ear and basking in the warmth of his compliments.  As I savored each and every bite myself, all I could think about was writing this blog post and sharing my recipe with all of you :-)  If you are anything like my Mom, who simply adores Eggplant Parmesan, yet never makes it at home... this is a recipe for you!

Without further delay, here is my most spectacular recipe that will not disappoint:

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Excellent Eggplant Parmesan


Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, sliced into 3/4 inch rounds
Salt (for sprinkling on both sides of the eggplant)
3 cups of homemade or canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

As with the Ratatouille (see previous blog post), I urge you to take the time to salt your slices of Eggplant and place them between sheets of paper towel to drain out the excess moisture prior to baking.  It is imperative!

After about 15 minutes, the eggplant should have released enough of its moisture.  Rinse each slice under cold water and dry thoroughly using paper towel or a dish towel.

Next, set up a dipping station with two bowls.  Fill one bowl with 1 beaten egg, and the other bowl with a mixture of equal parts grated Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (about 1/4 cup of each).

Dip each slice of eggplant first into the egg, and then into the breadcrumb mixture.  Shake off any excess breadcrumbs and place on a non-stick baking sheet.

Place prepared eggplant into a preheated 400 degree oven.  Bake the eggplant for a total of 10 minutes, flipping the slices halfway through the baking process.

Begin the layering process by first layering your tomato sauce in the bottom of a loaf pan.

Next, choose two of the largest slices of eggplant and place them on top of the sauce.

Top the eggplant layer with a heavy sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.

Repeat these three steps with the remaining ingredients.  Be sure to use the largest slices of eggplant before using the smaller ones, which should end up on the top of the dish.

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Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake the Eggplant Parmesan for 20 minutes.  Then, remove the pan from the oven and top the eggplant with all of the Mozzarella cheese.

Return the Eggplant Parmesan to the oven for another 5-10 minutes, or just until the cheese is completely melted and begins to form a crust.

Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Serve this dish with a side of your favorite pasta!  I tossed whole wheat linguine in a specialty Tuscan Blend Olive Oil Jeff bought me for my birthday back in March... which happened to be delicious with a little added minced garlic, Parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes!

Jeff and I were also in the mood for a good wine, so we opened a delicious Melville 2009 Pinot Noir, which paired perfectly with this dish.  The wine was full-bodied, with flavors of ripe dark fruit, spice, and earth.  Yummy!

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I hope you take the time to replicate this dish in your culinary future.  It really is worth the time it takes to make it... and preparing the eggplant correctly is a must.  I have tried taking shortcuts before, and the dish always ends up being a huge disaster!  I think eggplant is one of the most overlooked vegetables in the grocery store that is incredibly delicious and nutritious when prepared the right way.  In my opinion, Eggplant Parmesan is a recipe that really showcases everything the mighty eggplant has to offer!

Mangia!

Librarian turned Foodie