No matter how you spin it, making eggplant parm takes time. Long ago, I would egg, flour and breadcrumb each piece, fry it in 5 inches of olive oil, then set them on paper towels to absorb the excess oil. I just got tired thinking about that. Not to mention, my house would smell like fried bread crumbs for a week.
This recipe take a bit of time, but removes the breading and doesn’t leave the aroma behind.
You will need:
1 eggplant cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Olive oil
Olive oil spray
Bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
Noni’s Sunday Sauce or “other” red sauce, warmed
1 cup grated Pana Granado
Basil for garnish
Place eggplant on a few layer of paper towels, salt one side of the eggplant and let sit for 30 minutes. Flint over, salt the other side and let sit for another 30 minutes. Quickly rinse the salt off, place eggplant between a few layers of paper towels, then place a cutting board with a heavy object like a large pot on top. This is removing the last of the water.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a frying pan and spray each side of eggplant with olive oil spray. Sear each side until light brown, then add some olive oil to finish the browning. Remove browned eggplant to a serving dish, repeat with the remainder of the eggplant. As soon as you remove the eggplant from the pan, salt and pepper and add about 1 tsp of breadcrumbs to each disc. Spread to the ends to make even. Once you’ve done this will all the eggplant, place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Spoon the warmed red sauce over the eggplant, the sprinkle the cheese over the top. Bake another 15 minutes.
I just love this with crusty bread, but you could also serve with a side of pasta.
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