Eggplant Parmigiana

With the abundance of eggplants and tomatoes, making this delicious eggplant parmigiana was natural.

Soft and perfectly fried eggplant layers with mozzarella nestled between the layers and tomato sauce. Each bite is rich and savory.

Sunday night dinner at our house is a beautiful event that we all look forward to. It was a collective effort from all of us, my family telling me what they wish to have for dinner and me preparing it. It works like a charm.

This Eggplant Parmigiana is at my son’s request. A teenager that wants to eat eggplant? I jumped on that request immediately; mind you it is also a favorite of mine, and here it is for all of you to enjoy.

Make sure you remove the outer rind of the eggplant and let it rest pressed with the salt to remove the acidity. 

Also, slice the eggplant lengthwise instead of rounds. It will cook better and more even.

If you want to have a richer Parmigiana, you may add some cooked ham in between the Parmesan cheese and the mozzarella.

Let it rest as it will be scorching. This dish can also be prepared few hours, or even the night before.

Cover it and bring it back to room temperature before inserting in the oven.

Eggplant Parmigiana

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Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Resting time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 people

Author: Giangi Townsend

Soft and perfectly fried eggplant layers with mozzarella nestled between the layers and tomato sauce. Each bite is rich and savory.

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Ingredients 

USMetric

• 2 pounds eggplant
• 1 pound fresh or canned San Marzano tomatoes
• basil, few leaves
• 2 mozzarella
• Parmesan cheese
• Oil
• Salt
• pepper

Instructions

• Clean the eggplants and remove the skin and the top core.
• Cut the eggplant lengthwise making sure to keep the same thickness
• Place the cut slices over a cutting board and cover with salt within each layer
• Place over another cutting board and make sure it is in the sink slightly tilted so all the bitter juice will drain off.
• While the eggplants are resting start the tomato sauce. Peel the garlic and place in a pan with a glass size of oil. Golden the garlic, squeeze it and toss it.
• Add the tomatoes. If using fresh, then cook for a few minutes in hot water, then peel them, cut in half, remove seeds and cut them in fillets. If using canned, give it a few turns in the blender. Add salt and pepper and the basil. Cook at low heat for 5 minutes and then remove the basil.
• When the eggplant are ready to fry, dry them with paper towel and fry 3-4 slices at the time with plenty of hot oil (not smoking or they will burn).When golden remove and place on paper towel.
• When tomatoes sauce and eggplant are ready, start putting together the parmigiana. In an oven proof pan add a layer of tomatoes sauce, cover with eggplant slices next to each other.
• Cover lightly the eggplants with tomatoes sauce, a rich layer of parmesan cheese. In top of the parmesan add the mozzarella thinly sliced. Add a small amount of salt over it.
• Make another layer of eggplants, tomatoes, cheese as above. End with eggplants covered with tomatoes sauce 
• Add parmesan cheese. If there is mozzarella left cut in small pieces and add in top.
• Cook the parmigiana in the oven at 400 for 35 minutes. The top crust should be golden and when cutting the cheese stringy
• Let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 58kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 519mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Giangi’s Kitchen provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.

• Course: Dinners, Vegetables
• Cuisine: Italian
• Season: Summer