During our trip to France in the fall of 2017, I developed a fascination with eggplant. It started with Ratatouille and spread to Eggplant Parmesan.
A lot of recipes instruct you to salt and drain the eggplant, but I find this step completely unnecessary. I buy my globe eggplants fresh, as evidenced by their beautiful, dark, glossy skin and then make a point of using them within a day or two. I guess my approach to this recipe works because our friend Cindy declared it was the best Eggplant Parmesan she had ever tasted. Now that is a vote of confidence!
- EGGPLANT PARMESAN
- Servings: 8
- Difficulty: Moderate
| WHAT YOU NEED | WHAT TO DO | WHY |
| Center two racks in the oven; start preheating to 425°F “Convection” (verify with an oven thermometer). Meanwhile, prepare eggplant. | Ovens often run hot or cold or preheat slowly. | |
| 1 (1 pound) globe eggplant | Cut into 24 slices, each approximately ⅓ inch thick. | |
| ½ cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon fine sea salt |
In a shallow bowl, whisk together with a fork. | Flour helps the other layers bind to eggplant. |
| 3 large eggs | In a second shallow bowl, whisk until loose and frothy. | Egg binds bread crumbs. |
| 6 ounces white bread 2 ounces (½ cup) grated Parmesan |
For a third shallow bowl, roughly tear up bread and pulse in a food processor with Parmesan until fine. Working with one piece at a time, use tongs to plunge and turn eggplant in each of the three mixtures (flour, egg, and then bread crumbs). | Bread crumbs produce a crispy crust once baked. Using a fork minimizes the mess. |
| Parchment paper | Arrange across 2 lined half sheet pans. Bake until bread crumb coating is amber (12-14 minutes). Set aside to cool. Reduce oven to 350°F. | Parchment lined pans promote a crispier coating as compared to buttered pans. There is no need to turn during baking. |
| 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 cloves minced garlic |
Heat oil in a 12-inch tri-ply everyday pan over medium heat until it thins and shimmers (2-3 minutes). Add garlic, cooking until fragrant (1-2 minutes). | Regular (inexpensive) olive oil is used here because heating destroys the subtle flavors of extra-virgin. A wide, low pan expedites sauce reduction. |
| 56 ounces canned petite diced tomatoes (undrained) 2 teaspoons dried basil 1 teaspoon fine sea salt 1 teaspoon roughly ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar |
Add remaining ingredients; bring to a simmer, where bubbles continually break the surface without spattering. Hold at a simmer, occasionally stirring with a bamboo spatula until reduced to 4 cups (8-10 minutes).
Tip: After separating a garlic clove from the head, cut off the root end. Place the broad side of a chef’s knife on top; strike hard to crush. Release skin and discard. Rock blade over garlic to mince. |
Garlic presses waste garlic flesh, and a knife is easier to clean. |
| 1 pound low-moisture mozzarella 1 cup grated Parmesan |
With a thinly bladed knife (a filet knife works well) cut into 24 slices, each approximately ¼ inch thick. | Low-moisture cheese will not make eggplant soggy. |
| In a 4-quart capacity 9×13-inch baking dish, smear 1/2 cup sauce across the bottom. Create 8 towers of sauce, eggplant, Parmesan, and mozzarella: 8 eggplant slices ⅓ cup Parmesan 8 mozzarella slices ½ cup sauce 8 eggplant slices ⅓ cup Parmesan 8 mozzarella slices ½ cup sauce 8 eggplant slices ⅓ cup Parmesan ½ cup sauce 8 mozzarella slices |
A baking dish is nonreactive with acidic foods, such as tomatoes, whereas aluminum creates gray discoloration and off flavors. | |
| Spoon 1 cup sauce between eggplant towers, reserving remaining 1 cup. Bake uncovered until mozzarella is amber at the edges (28-32 minutes). Rest 10 minutes. | The extra sauce prevents burning without making the dish soggy. | |
| 16 whole fresh basil leaves 16-20 julienned basil leaves |
To serve, spoon 2 tablespoons reserved sauce on each plate; place an eggplant tower on top, tuck in 2 basil leaves, and finish with julienned basil. | Reserved sauce adds freshness and flavor. |
