| Total: | 2 hr 15 min |
| Prep: | 1 hr 15 min |
| Cook: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | about 4 to 6 main course servings |
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplant (about 2 1/4 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch-thick round slices
- Kosher salt, as needed, plus 1 tablespoon
- 5 cups fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Vegetable oil for frying
- All-purpose flour for dredging
- 6 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- Olive oil, as needed
- 7 cups Quick Marinara Sauce, recipe follows
- 2/3 cup grated Parmesan, divided
- 1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, diced (about 1/3 cup)
- 5 cloves garlic, chopped
- 7 cups whole, peeled, canned tomatoes in puree (about two 28-ounce can), roughly chopped
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs of fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Arrange the eggplant slices on several baking sheets and sprinkle generously all over with kosher salt. Set aside to let the bitter juices weep from the eggplant, about 1 hour.
- Transfer the eggplant to a colander in the sink, and rinse well under cold running water. Transfer eggplant to a work surface and blot very dry with paper towels.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, breadcrumbs, oregano, thyme, and season with pepper.
- Place the flour in a medium lipped plate or bowl. In another medium bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. Dredge an eggplant slice in the flour, then dip it in the egg, and finally dredge it in the breadcrumb mixture. Shake off any excess breading and transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.
- In a large straight-sided skillet, pour the oil to a depth of 1/2 inch. Heat the oil over medium heat until it registers 400 degrees F on a deep frying thermometer. (The oil must be heated to 400 degrees F. so that the breaded eggplant, when added, will drop the temperature of the oil to the proper frying temperature of 375 degrees F.)
- Working in small batches, fry the eggplant slices, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Using tongs, transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and season with salt to taste. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly brush a 15 x 10- x 2-inch-baking dish with olive oil. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with 1/3 of the marinara sauce and arrange half of the eggplant over the sauce. Cover the eggplant with another 1/3 of the sauce. Scatter half of the Parmesan and half of the mozzarella over the sauced eggplant. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, sauce, Parmesan, and mozzarella. Bake until hot and just beginning to brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and garlic, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the herb sprigs and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the salt and season with pepper to taste. Use immediately, store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 1855 |
| Total Fat | 146 g |
| Saturated Fat | 28 g |
| Carbohydrates | 96 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 15 g |
| Sugar | 18 g |
| Protein | 46 g |
| Cholesterol | 257 mg |
| Sodium | 1921 mg |
Reviews
I also used my own sauce but wanted to try this technique. It was quite good although, as I think is inevitable with egg parm, no real crispy to be had… the mechanics of the dish just rarely allow it. The cooking of the eggplant was spot on- very little if any absorption of the oil but careful-1.5 minutes per side was more the GBD. Next time I will try just a dollop of sauce per round and see if I can get some crunch.
I used this recipe Christmas Eve for a party of 20
with a couple of slight changes and it was amazing!
with a couple of slight changes and it was amazing!
Really enjoyed this recipe. Eggplant parm will always feel like it takes forever. Used shredded mozz instead of sliced. 3 minutes of frying was a bit much for the size cuts I made. Quick sauce was OK – it wasn’t the star of the dish but good for what it’s purpose was.
I made this for my family and everyone loved it! Even my father who’s not the biggest fan of eggplant parmesan. Highly recommend this recipe!
I lightly oiled and grilled the eggplant until nicely marked with grill marks. Every time I make it, I use a different homemade marinara sauce — no frying involved. I usually like to put a very small bay leaf in the sauce when I make it.
How do I get out of this mess. I didn’t cook anything g thing I want out ??!!!!!
Delicious! I made my own sauce… can of dices tomatoes with garlic & basil… just blend on low…. perfect sauce… no cooking needed
This is a pretty good recipe. I made my own sauce because there sauce recipe seems like it won’t be cooked long enough. But overall good recipe
We have been using the air fryer for our Eggplant Parmesan the past few times. Very good and much less calories with minimal oil involved.
I’ve been craving this for weeks and this recipe hit the nail on the head…thank you!!