One of my recipes that has stood the test of time is my Eggplant Parmesan, a family and friend favorite. Learn the secrets as to why it is loved by all in this post!
Serve with a fresh salad, garlic bread or breadsticks and you have a delicious Italian meal!
Pairs nicely with glass of red wine!
Melissa's Famous Eggplant Parmesan
My Eggplant Parm is lighter and full of flavor. In this recipe, the eggplant is oven-baked not fried. You will need baking pans with a lip to bake the eggplant and a 13 x 9 x 2 rectangular glass casserole or similar casserole to assemble the ingredients and bake in the oven.
Ingredients
- 3-4 Medium Eggplants Firm, good color, no bruise spots, sliced leaving skin on as it holds its form and offers additional nutrition
- 1 24 oz. Italian Breadcrumbs Modify with Japanese-style Panko or Gluten Free Breadcrumbs
- 8-10 fresh whole Eggs Can use egg whites to reduce cholesterol. You can also add milk to decrease eggs.
- 1 16 oz. plus Mozzarella Cheese Use part-skim shredded if you want to reduce fat.
- 1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese Use more if you wish.
- 1 28 oz. jar Organic Tomato Sauce If you have the time and want to make your own sauce, great!
- Dried & Crushed Oregano Add in sauce or sprinkle on each layer.
- Dried & Chopped Basil Add in sauce.
Instructions
- Slice eggplants about 1/2 to 1" in thickness, leaving skin on. Salt the eggplants to remove any bitterness; rinse and dry over paper towels.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare baking pans with parchment paper, coat by spraying with olive oil.
- Set up two bowls for the "dipping process." Put whisked eggs in one bowl and breadcrumbs in the other. Dip eggplant in eggs then breadcrumbs, then place on parchment-paper-covered baking pans.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes in preheated oven at 425 degrees. Flip over and bake another 20 minutes until both sides are nicely browned and a bit crispy.
- Once the eggplant is cooked, begin the layering process with the eggplant, sauce and then shredded mozzarella cheese.
- As you can see by my photo, I use less sauce than when you have eggplant parm at a restaurant ... this is my secret to a flavorful eggplant parmesan ... less sauce. This allows you to taste the delicious crispy eggplant along with the cheese and sauce ... not just tasting sauce!
- Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake entire dish in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 20 min or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.
Notes
I wanted to share a wonderful plate my sister-in-law, Terrie made for me years ago ... (as you can see from the photo! LOL) from her company, Fired-on.com
Melissa's Modifications & Cooking Suggestions
A word about salting eggplants: there is nothing like having a bitter eggplant in your casserole. It spoils it for me. I have become an expert on picking fresh non-bruised eggplants over the years; however, if I am suspicious of one, I do salt it after slicing. Let the salt remain for 20-30 minutes, then rinse with and pat dry with paper towels.
Cook time: 70 minutes broken into 20 minutes on each side (40 minutes), then 30 minutes baking in oven once in casserole.
This freezes well fully cooked, so double the recipe and freeze dinners for another day!
Nutritional Value : 1 Serving (Approx 1.5 cups) 350 Calories; 7g Fat; 31g Carbs; 10g Protein
I know this is not a light low-cal recipe. Keep in mind, you would not be eating this every day! For those of you that love eggplant like I do, but want a skinny-down version ... it's coming up next! Being a Vegan, I no longer eat my famous recipe (though still make it for family :)). I have experimented with many modifications to replicate. To be honest, its like Eggplant Parmesan ... but different. But it still tastes delicious and is heart-healthy!
To healthy eating!
Melissa
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
