I really think this is what I would eat for my last meal on Earth. It’s so simple and, when done right, sublime. I cannot stop eating this!
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 2 hr 45 min |
| Prep: | 35 min |
| Inactive: | 1 hr |
| Cook: | 1 hr 10 min |
| Yield: | 4 and 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 medium yellow onions, peeled, halved, and cut into thin slices
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and grated
- Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 3 (28-ounce) cans San Marzano whole plum tomatoes
- 2 medium eggplants, washed and cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds (about 2 1/2 pounds)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 5 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 4 cups Italian-style breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- Vegetable oil, for frying, as needed, about 1 1/2 to 2 cups
- 1 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese, cut into thin slices
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 pound provolone cheese, grated
- 2 handfuls fresh basil, leaves only, torn
Instructions
- For the tomato sauce: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and season with salt and red pepper flakes. Cook until the onions become translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sugar and the canned tomatoes. Use a wooden spoon to break up some of the whole tomatoes and cook 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring from time to time. Taste for seasoning, the tomatoes should be fairly broken down and the flavors coming together. Cook for another few minutes if the tomatoes still taste like they need a little more time to break down. Set aside to cool.
- For the eggplant (this step is optional, leave it out if you have limited time): Arrange the eggplant rounds in a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt on both sides of each slice and allow it to sit for about 1 hour. Salting it draws out the liquid and bitter flavor. After an hour, rinse with cold water and dry them thoroughly with a kitchen towel.
- Put the flour in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk and season with salt and pepper. In a third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the oregano and fresh thyme leaves and season with salt and pepper. Dip each eggplant slice in the flour and shake off any excess. Then, dip in the egg mixture, and finally in the breadcrumbs. Make sure to coat both sides of each slice of eggplant. Arrange them in single layers on the baking sheets.
- In a large skillet, pour enough oil to accumulate about 1/2-inch in the bottom. Heat the oil until it begins to smoke lightly (alternatively, test with a thermometer and wait until the oil registers between 380 degrees F and 400 degrees F). Use a pair of kitchen tongs to add a single layer of the eggplant to the pan. Cook them until they are golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the oil and transfer to a baking sheet fitted with a kitchen towel so the eggplant can drain as the others cook. Season lightly with salt. Take care to reheat the oil back up to temperature before adding another batch of slices to the pan.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- To assemble: In a 9 by 13-inch flameproof baking dish, spoon about 1/4 of the tomato sauce on the bottom. Top with a layer of the fried eggplant; the eggplant slices can overlap slightly. Top with about 1/3 of the mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with about 1/4 of the Parmesan and provolone cheeses. Top with a layer of torn basil leaves. Spoon sauce and repeat the layering 2 more times to make 3 layers. End with the remaining mozzarella. Carefully press the layers down firmly into the dish once assembled. Place the dish in the top part of the oven and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. For extra browning, put the dish under the broiler for a minute or two just before serving to get an extra brown cheesy top. I always nibble on a bit of that before sharing it with my friends!
Reviews
Absolutely DELICIOUS
Sure, it was time consuming, but worth it. To save time, next time I may use my favorite jar sauce (or my own frozen); and I did take the extra step to salt the eggplant and let it sit b4 breading. Truly made a difference IMO. Enough leftover for Alex’s eggplant Parm sandwich!
Hope y’all try it and ENJOY!
Sure, it was time consuming, but worth it. To save time, next time I may use my favorite jar sauce (or my own frozen); and I did take the extra step to salt the eggplant and let it sit b4 breading. Truly made a difference IMO. Enough leftover for Alex’s eggplant Parm sandwich!
Hope y’all try it and ENJOY!
I stopped liking eggplant after a huge bumber crop many years ago and swore I’d never eat it again. I was given some recently and I followed this recipe to try to open my mind up again. I’m so thankful for the tip about salting them and then browning them first. This turned out deliciously amazing!
I have made this same recipe from my Nana. I use a bread pan when baking. You can get many deep layers. It’s so delicious. If you have leftover fried eggplant, I suggest a eggplant sandwich made with Italian rolls.
This is fabulous! Yes, it is a lot of work. But isn’t all good food? I love the sauce because it is so full of flavor, yet not thick and heavy so that it distracts from the eggplant. And after many times of baking the eggplant to brown it, I am convinced that cooking in canola oil is the way to go. I even made extra for eggplant sandwiches! Every step in this recipe made for a meal of perfection. I made the sauce the day before to help myself out. I sent pictures and the recipe to my son in Jersey. And I bought my San Marzano tomatoes from Gustiamo in the Bronx. They really are superb, IMHO.
Best I’ve ever had! Been making it since 2014.
This is the best eggplant parm recipe EVER! So delicious. My family and I don’t make our own sauce to save time because it takes a while to make (we use Rao’s marinara sauce, so yummy). I make this a lot for my family. It’s so yummy and everyone always loves it. There isn’t a thing I would change
A Good recipe, could be made better if the eggplant was baked instead of fried, Flavor has much more clarity doing this
can you freeze this? looks like a lot more then 6 servings
I have not made this, but it sounds delicious. My concern is what large quantity this makes. Three 28oz cans of tomatoes sounds like an awful lot. How many people does this feed?
OMG! This recipe is SOOOOO good! I made some pan sautéed chicken breast to go with it but I really think this recipe with a little garlic bread and salad would have been great with no meat. It will be a rotation email from now on. Thanks, Alex!