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. Many 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 works because our friend Cindy declared this is the best Eggplant Parmesan she had ever tasted. Now that is a vote of confidence!
Eggplant Parmesan Recipe
| WHAT YOU NEED | WHAT TO DO | WHY |
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Center two racks in the oven; preheat to 425°F Convection (verify with an oven thermometer). Meanwhile, set out 3 shallow bowls. In the first bowl, whisk flour and salt together with a fork. | Internal oven thermostats are often improperly calibrated. Flour helps the other layers bind to eggplant. |
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In a second bowl, whisk eggs until loose and frothy. | Egg binds the bread crumbs. |
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Pulse together in a food processor until fine (~1 minute). 6 ounces of bread yields 3 cups bread crumbs. Add to the third shallow bowl. | Store-bought crumbs are too dry and dense. |
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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). Arrange across 2 lined half sheet pans. Bake until crumb coating turns crispy amber (12-14 minutes). Set aside to cool. Reduce oven to 350°F. | Using a fork minimizes the mess. Parchment lined pans promote a crispier coating as compared to buttered pans. |
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In a 12-inch tri-ply everyday pan over medium heat, bring oil to a shimmer (~2 minutes). Add garlic, cooking until fragrant (~1 minute). Add all to the pan; 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 (~9 minutes). | Regular olive oil is sufficient here; heat destroys and wastes the subtle flavors of expensive extra-virgin. A wide, low pan expedites sauce reduction. Calabrian peppers have a spicy, fruity flavor profile. |
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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 |
A baking dish is nonreactive with acidic foods, such as tomatoes, whereas aluminum creates gray discoloration and off flavors. | |
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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. 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. | The extra sauce prevents burning without making the dish soggy. Reserved sauce adds freshness and flavor. |
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