Eggplant is a unique and uniquely delicious vegetarian alternative to chicken: it’s a meaty yet tender vegetable with plenty of flavor that works well with breading. Baked Eggplant Parmesan shows off eggplant’s natural strengths with delicious results! Baked Eggplant Parmesan has the crunch of its fried cousin without the greasiness, and it comes with a delicately seasoned and rich tomato sauce. It’s cheesy, hearty, and even healthy! Baked Eggplant Parmesan is worth every second it takes to make it.
Ingredients
For the eggplant cutlets: • 2 medium eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds • 1 tablespoon kosher salt • 2 cups unseasoned panko breadcrumbs • 1 teaspoon dried oregano • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes • 1 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper • 1 cup all-purpose flour • 4 large eggs • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided For the sauce: • 2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes • 2 tablespoons tomato paste • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning • 1 teaspoon dried oregano • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder • 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon pepper For layering: • 8 ounces part-skim mozzarella, shredded • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated • fresh basil leaves, choppedDirections
Place a layer of paper towels onto a baking tray.
Gently season the sliced eggplant evenly with the salt and put them on the prepared pan.
When the pan is full, place another layer of paper towels on top, then some more of the sliced eggplant.
When all of the eggplant has been salted and layered, put a final layer of paper towels on top, making sure it is pressed down lightly on the slices.
Set the eggplant slices aside for about an hour. By salting the eggplant and using the paper towels, the eggplants will weep away a lot of their moisture. This is essential to remove a lot of the bitterness associated with eggplants.
Place an oven rack in the upper and lower-middle positions.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Using the bowl of a food processor, add the breadcrumbs, oregano, red pepper, parmesan, and black pepper.
Pulse the breadcrumb mix until it is finely ground.
Transfer the bread crumbs to a plate or a bowl.
Place the flour in a second bowl or shallow plate and set it aside.
In another bowl, mix the eggs until fully blended. Set it aside.
Pat the eggplant with more paper towels to remove all the liquid off the eggplants, wipe off any excess salt.
Transfer the eggplant to a plate when dry. Put the baking trays in the oven.
Slice a large piece of parchment or wax paper.
Working one at a time, coat the eggplants in the flour, then the egg mixture, and let the excess drip off.
Put the flour and egg-coated eggplant slices into the breadcrumb mixture, evenly covering each side.
Dust off any excess and put the breadcrumb-covered slices in a single layer onto the parchment paper, repeating until all of the eggplant slides are coated.
Remove the baking sheets from the oven and brush them with about 2 tablespoons of the oil.
Put the eggplant slices onto the baking sheets in a single layer.
Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake the slices until they are golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Move the pans around, so the upper sheet is moved to the lower rack, and vice versa. Flip the eggplant slices in the middle of baking.
While the eggplants bake in the oven, combine the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, olive oil, Italian seasoning, dried oregano, onion powder, granulated garlic, granulated sugar, salt, and pepper into a medium pan and heat it on medium-low heat.
Cook the sauce until it is heated through. Set the sauce aside and keep it warm. Thin out the sauce with a little bit of water or wine, to taste
Gently coat a 9x13-inch baking sheet with cooking spray.
Pour in 1 heaping cup of the prepared tomato sauce all over the bottom of the sheet.
Layer in half of the eggplant slices, making sure to overlap the edges of the slices as needed to fit into the dish.
Spoon out 1 cup of the sauce to cover the eggplant.
Top the sauce on the baking sheet with half of the mozzarella cheese.
Put in the remaining layer(s) of eggplant, and top it off with the sauce, leaving some of the eggplant uncovered so it will stay crisp.
Top with the parmesan cheese and the rest of the mozzarella cheese.
Bake until the cheese is bubbling and browned, about 15 minutes.
Cool the dish for about 10-15 minutes and serve it topped with the basil.
