Best Eggplant Parm Recipes

SIMPLE EGGPLANT PARM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Arrange the eggplant halves cut-side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Using the tip of a knife, score the flesh of the eggplant, being careful not to cut all the way through. Rub them evenly with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with the salt. Roast until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove the eggplant from the oven and divide the marinara evenly over the halves. Sprinkle with the mozzarella. Mix together the breadcrumbs, Parmesan and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small bowl. Top the eggplant with the breadcrumb mixture and return to the oven until golden brown and bubbly, about 12 minutes. Sprinkle with the basil and pepper flakes.

ONE SHEET CRISPY EGGPLANT PARM

Steps:

• Put a baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F. Position a wire rack over a second baking sheet and set aside.
• Mix the panko and Parmesan in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Season both sides of the eggplant with salt and pepper. Dip only one side of the eggplant slices first in the beaten egg, then in the breadcrumb mixture to coat. Transfer to the wire rack.
• Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Pour the oil directly onto the hot baking sheet. Working quickly, place the eggplant slices panko-side down onto the oiled baking sheet. Dollop sauce directly on the center of each eggplant slice, then top with a nice slice of mozzarella (drape it over the sides of the eggplant for legendary crispy bits). Put immediately back on the bottom rack of the oven and bake until the bottoms are golden brown and the tops are melted and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Garnish each eggplant medallion with a basil leaf. Serve immediately, either individually or in a giant stack.

EGGPLANT PARM STACKS

Steps:

• Preheat grill pan over medium-high heat. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, with oven rack in center position.
• Brush eggplant slices with 3 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt. Grill 8-10 minutes, flipping once, until charred and soft.
• In a medium bowl combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan, pepper, herbs, and remaining tablespoon olive oil.
• Place 4 slices grilled eggplant on parchment-lined baking sheet. Top with 2 tablespoons tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs, and slices of mozzarella. Repeat with two more layers. Drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake in oven for 20 minutes. Serve with a garnish of olive oil and Parmesan cheese.

JAMIE OLIVER'S EGGPLANT PARM

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Brush both sides of eggplant slices with oil, and place in a single layer on two or more baking sheets. Bake until undersides are golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes, then turn and bake until other sides are lightly browned. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. 2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and add onion. Sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and dried oregano and sauté another 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and their juices, breaking up whole tomatoes with your hands. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes. 3. Add vinegar, basil and salt and pepper to taste. Into a 9-by-9-inch, 10-by-5-inch or 10-by-6-inch baking pan, spoon a small amount of tomato sauce, then add a thin scattering of parmigiano, then a single layer of eggplant. Repeat until all ingredients are used, ending with a little sauce and a sprinkling of parmigiano. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and oregano, if using, with just enough olive oil to moisten. Sprinkle on top. If desired, recipe can be made to this point and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before baking. 4. Bake until eggplant mixture is bubbly and center is hot, 30 to 45 minutes depending on size of pan and thickness of layers. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Recipe can also be reheated.

EGGPLANT PARM BITES

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and heat another 30 seconds. Add the eggplant and salt and cook, stirring often, until the eggplant is golden brown and soft, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the marinera, basil and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan.
• Lay one sheet of phyllo on a cutting board. Brush it gently with some of the remaining oil. Lay another sheet on top of that sheet and brush with oil. Do this 2 more times until you have 4 layers of phyllo, finishing the top layer with oil. Cut the sheet into 12 squares. Press one square (with all 4 phyllo layers) oil-side down into each cup of a 24-cup metal mini muffin tin. Repeat with the remaining phyllo.
• Divide the eggplant mixture among the cups, about 1 teaspoon per cup. Divide the mozzarella over the top of the bites. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake on the lower rack until golden brown and bubbly, 13 to 15 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

AIR FRYER EGGPLANT PARM

Steps:

• Preheat a 6-quart air fryer to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the flour, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and a couple grinds of pepper in a shallow bowl. Whisk together the eggs and a splash of water in a second shallow bowl. Whisk together the panko, Parmesan, dried Italian herb seasoning, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a couple grinds of pepper in a third shallow bowl.
• Dip the eggplant slices into the flour mixture and shake off any excess. Place into the egg wash and flip to evenly coat. Allow any excess egg to drip off, then press in the panko mixture, making sure both sides are evenly coated. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Gently place half of the breaded eggplant into the air fryer basket, shingling to create a single layer. Cook, shaking the tray halfway through to separate any rounds that may have stuck together, until golden brown and crispy, 13 to 15 minutes. Place the cooked eggplant on the prepared baking sheet, then repeat with the remaining uncooked breaded eggplant.
• Meanwhile, stir together the tomato sauce, the remaining 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and the chopped basil in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until simmering and warmed through, about 5 minutes.
• Line the air fryer basket with parchment, then add half of the cooked eggplant in a single layer. Cover the eggplant to the edges with 1 cup of the seasoned tomato sauce. Top with 8 ounces of the mozzarella. Repeat with the remaining cooked eggplant, 1 cup seasoned tomato sauce and 8 ounces mozzarella to create a second layer. Cook until the edges are deeply golden brown and the cheese melts, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove to a serving platter. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with fresh basil leaves if desired. Serve immediately, although it will be even better the next day!

EGGPLANT PARM BITES RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Slice the eggplant and lay out on a paper towel lined baking sheet.
• Generously salt the eggplant on both sides and leave to sit for 30 minutes to soften and draw out excess moisture.
• Blot off the water and excess salt from the eggplant with additional paper towels.
• In a medium mixing bowl add the basil, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, and one egg (beaten). Mix together.
• Picking two equal sized eggplant slices, sandwich about a tablespoon of the ricotta mixture between the slices and place on a wax paper lined baking tray.
• Freeze for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• In three separate bowls, place the flour, bread crumbs, and the remaining 3 eggs, beaten.
• Remove eggplant from the freezer and coat each first in flour, then egg, then bread crumbs. Coat once more in egg and a final time in the bread crumbs. Place back in the freezer while you prepare to fry.
• In a large saucepan, heat oil to 350˚F (180˚C). Fry eggplant in batches, 3 at a time, until nicely browned on all sides.
• Remove and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain off any excess oil. Sprinkle with salt. Serve with marinara sauce.
• Enjoy!

EGGPLANT PARM STACKS

Steps:

• Set aside or prepare the roasted tomatoes.
• Salt the eggplant and drain in colander, 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a little extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, chile pepper, if using, marjoram, salt, and pepper. Cover the pan with a lid and sweat the onions 10 to 15 minutes, until very soft and sweet. Add the roasted tomatoes and stir, then let the sauce thicken 15 minutes, uncovered over medium heat. Cook's Note: The mixture should be very thick.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• While the sauce cooks make a breading station (3 sections) for the eggplant: flour, beaten egg, and panko bread crumbs mixed with cheese, corn meal, and fennel. Coat the eggplant slices in order and arrange on a plate. Heat a thin layer of frying oil in a large heavy-bottom skillet over medium to medium-high heat and cook the eggplant 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Drain the eggplant on a cooling rack, wipe out the skillet and repeat. Sprinkle the hot eggplant with a little salt. When all of eggplant has been cooked, wipe the pan clean again and heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in the skillet over medium heat, add the garlic and stir 1 minute. Add the greens and wilt them, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Turn off the heat. Build stacks on cooling rack placed over baking sheet: eggplant, chard, tomato-onions, basil leaves, mozzarella, and eggplant. Place in oven 5 minutes to melt the mozzarella. Serve immediately.
• For the tomatoes:
• Heat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Arrange the tomatoes on a baking sheet or baking sheets in a single layer. Scatter the garlic among the tomatoes, dress with extra-virgin olive oil to coat and season with salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes until they burst and skins split and begin to char, about 30 minutes. Cool the tomatoes until cool enough to handle and peel. Place the tomatoes in a bowl.

EGGPLANT PARM PENNE RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Spread the eggplant on the prepared baking sheet and season with the salt. Let sit for 20-30 minutes to draw out excess moisture.
• While the eggplant drains, add the bread crumbs and flour to 2 separate small bowls. Beat the eggs in a third small bowl.
• Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels. Dredge each piece of eggplant in the flour to coat thoroughly, shaking off any excess. Dip each piece in the eggs, then coat in the bread crumbs, pressing to adhere.
• Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, add the eggplant to the hot oil and fry until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined sheet tray to drain.
• *Tip: Eggplant can alternatively be oven or air fried. Cooking times will vary.
• Heat the Prego® Traditional Italian Sauce in a medium pot over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until warmed through.
• Add the cooked penne, fried eggplant, mozzarella, and half of the basil to the sauce, and toss to combine.
• Garnish with remaining basil.
• Enjoy!

EGGPLANT PARM SOUP

Steps:

• Put the soup in a medium pot, add in the Parmesan rind and bring to a slight simmer.
• Set up a standard breading station with the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in separate shallow bowls. Lightly season each station with salt and pepper. In batches and using a spider or slotted spoon, dredge each eggplant cube in flour and shake off the excess; dip in egg and let the excess drip off; and then coat in breadcrumbs. Set aside on a wire rack.
• Heat 1/2 inch of oil in 2 large straight-sided saute pans over medium heat. Working in small batches, fry the eggplant pieces, turning once, until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes a side.
• Preheat the oven to broil. Ladle the soup into individual ovenproof crocks on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover each crock with 2 slices of mozzarella. Broil until golden brown and bubbly. Top each crock with several fried eggplant cubes and some basil chiffonade.

INSIDE-OUT AIR-FRIED EGGPLANT PARM

Steps:

• Score eggplant all the way through the flesh lengthwise, being careful not to cut through the skin. Score again widthwise to create cubes. Gently turn the eggplant inside out. Repeat with second half. If eggplant breaks, manipulate the outer edges to stand up or use a long skewer to hold it open.
• Drizzle both halves with 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place in an air fryer basket.
• Air-fry at 390 to 400 degrees F for 10 minutes.
• Open the air fryer and top each eggplant with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese, trying to fill each groove. Air-fry 5 minutes longer.
• Serve immediately sprinkled with fresh basil.

JUDY'S EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) PARM

Steps:

• Slice eggplant lengthwise 3/8-inch thick.
• Salt both sides, and stack upright in colander.
• Set colander in sink, or set in tray to catch drippings.
• Let sweat for 30 minutes.
• Remove, rinse and pat eggplant dry.
• Place olive oil in pan, about 1 1/2 inches worth.
• Heat until oil is quite hot, but not smoking.
• Dredge eggplant on both sides in flour.
• Place in pan, not overlapping, until golden brown.
• Flip and continue frying until other side is golden brown.
• Remove, drain, and place on paper towels.
• Repeat with remaining eggplant.
• Meanwhile, as eggplant is being fried, place tomatoes, salt and olive oil in another pan.
• Turn to low, or low-medium, and let simmer as you fry the eggplant.
• Cook down until tomatoes are reduced by half.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Smear bottom and sides of (approximately 11X7 baking dish, ceramic preferred) baking dish with butter.
• Place a single layer, overlapping, of eggplant in bottom of dish.
• Dot with cooked tomato.
• Cover with layer of mozzarella, sprinkle quite liberally with grated parm, and snip basil leaves across.
• Repeat process, finishing with a layer of eggplant on top.
• Sprinkle with remaining parm and place dish in upper third of oven.
• Check dish after 20 minutes.
• If there is too much liquid being released, remove excess with spoon.
• Cook for another 15 minutes.
• Let rest before serving.
• For a wonderful freezer meal:.
• To freeze: Cover dish with foil and freeze. When frozen you can pop it out of the container and put in a freezer bag if desired. Individual portions can be cut and microwaved as well for a quick meal!
• To heat: Thaw and preheat oven to 350°F Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10-15 minutes more.

EXTRA EXTRA LARGE EGGPLANT PARM SANDWICH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on it. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until the tomatoes have decreased in size and look slightly dry, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Grease a bundt pan with cooking spray.
• Arrange the dough in the prepared pan so the ends touch each other, then pinch the ends together so the dough makes one large ring. Using a knife, make a few slices in the top of the dough. Bake until the bread is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 200 degrees F, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then remove the bread to a wire rack to cool completely.
• To set up the 3-step breading process, gather 3 medium shallow bowls or plates. In the first, add the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In the second, add the eggs and 2 tablespoons of water and whisk well. In the third, add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan and oregano and stir to combine.
• Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels. Dredge one round in the flour, shaking off any excess. Now, using your other hand (keeping one hand dry and one hand wet), dip into the egg mixture to coat completely. Finally, dredge in the breadcrumb mixture and coat completely. Set on a parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat the process with the remaining eggplant.
• Add 1/2 inch of vegetable oil to a 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet, set over medium-high heat and heat to 375 degrees F. In batches, fry the eggplant until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to dry.
• Slice the bread ring horizontally to build your giant sandwich. Layer on the mozzarella, pepperoni, eggplant, roasted red pepper, oven-roasted tomatoes and banana peppers. Carefully slice the sandwich into 8 pieces and enjoy! Or wrap in foil and bring to tailgate.

EGGPLANT PARM LASAGNA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a cooling rack. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season eggplant slices with salt, then place in a colander set over a plate. Set aside.
• Combine panko, Italian seasoning, 1 cup parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine until finely ground, then transfer crumbs to a shallow dish or bowl. Place eggs and flour in separate shallow dishes or bowls.
• To prepare eggplant, dredge each slice on both sides in the flour, then eggs, then the panko parmesan mixture and place on the cooling rack. Heat 3/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, fry the eggplant until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Add additional olive oil if needed during frying. Drain fried eggplant on a towel-lined plate.
• In a large bowl, stir to combine ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.
• To assemble lasagna, spoon 1/2 cup marinara sauce into the bottom of the pan, spreading to coat. Top with 4 lasagna noodles, then 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, a layer of eggplant, 1 cup marinara sauce and 1 cup shredded mozzarella. Repeat layering twice more and top last layer of lasagna noodles with sauce, 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake for 10 minutes.
• Let sit 10 minutes, then slice and serve. Top with sliced basil.

EGGPLANT PARM ONE-POT PASTA

Steps:

• Add the butter to a large Dutch oven over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the breadcrumbs and toast until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in the Dutch oven until hot. Add the garlic, eggplant and onion, season with the salt and cook, stirring, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, pasta, chicken stock, red pepper flakes and basil. Bring to simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Remove the lid and stir in the Parmesan and mozzarella. Turn off the heat and continue to stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce is thick.
• Serve garnished with plenty of toasted breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley and basil.

GRILLED EGGPLANT PARM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, olives, 1/4 cup water and the basil sprig and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and discard the basil sprig. Remove from the heat, add the butter and stir to incorporate.
• Meanwhile, heat a grill or grill pan over medium high. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Grill, turning once, until well-marked and tender, about 4 minutes per side.
• Spread about a third of the sauce onto the bottom of a small rectangular (8-by-10-inch) baking dish. Top with half of the eggplant and half of the mozzarella, evenly spaced in the dish. Repeat with another third of the sauce and the remaining eggplant and mozzarella. Drizzle with the last of the sauce and sprinkle with the Parmesan.
• Bake until the sauce is thickened and bubbling and the cheese is golden in spots, about 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle with the sliced basil and serve warm.

MY MOM'S FAVORITE EGGPLANT PARM

Steps:

• Ok. So. This is time-consuming but totally totally worth it.
• First you have to sweat the eggplant. Slice the eggplant into thin slices and layer the slices in a bowl after salting them generously but carefully. Try to make the salt evenly distributed. After they're salted, cover and set aside.
• While the eggplant is sweating, work on the sauce.
• Add some olive oil to the pot and heat. Then add in the chopped onion and garlic and a dash of salt. Cook until the onions soften a bit.
• Chop some of the basil leaves and add into the onion mixture. Stir, then add in the chopped fresh tomatoes, not the canned. Cook down until the tomatoes soften. Add salt to taste.
• Finally, add in the San Marzano tomatoes. Mix in sugar to taste. You want the sauce a bit on the sweet side, but not actually fully sweet. Just somewhere in between.
• Simmer for about 30 minutes.
• While the eggplant is still sweating/your sauce is cooking down, prep the cheese. Slice the mozzarella ball into half then into thin slices, should be about 12 or so total.
• Get out a bowl of all purpose flour for dredging.
• Check your eggplant. there should be a pool of water at the bottom of the bowl, and the slices should have softened. You can choose to either pat the eggplant dry or not, I haven't found it to make a big difference other than that it's easier to coat it in flour before frying.
• Get out your favorite large frying pan, fill that boy up with olive oil, and turn the heat up to medium high.
• Dredge each slice of eggplant in flour and fry until golden. If they get a little darker, it's ok. Set each fried slice aside. I like to put them on paper towels to get some of the extra oil out.
• Once they're done, it's time to actually build the dish.
• Layer the slices, sauce and cheeses in a baking pan. I usually do the eggplant, sauce, parmesan, then mozzarella. You should be able to do two layers. On the top layer, add in single basil leaves between the basil slices.
• Bake at 350 for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and browned.
• Let cool for about 10 minutes.
• Eat. :).

EGGPLANT PARM EMPANADAS

Steps:

• For the eggplant: Slice the eggplant in half lengthwise, and then into 1/4-inch half-moon slices. Put on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Allow the salt to extract some of the moisture from the eggplant slices for at least 10 minutes while you prep the rest of your ingredients.
• Take three plates and fill one with the flour, one with the beaten eggs and the third with the breadcrumbs. Dry the eggplant slices with the paper towels. Then coat each slice in the flour, then the eggs and finishing with the breadcrumbs. Allow these slices to rest for a minute; this will make the coating stick a little better and dry out to make a crispier crunch.
• Coat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat with enough vegetable oil for shallow frying. Fry the eggplant slices in batches until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. Season with salt and pepper as soon as soon as they come out. Allow to cool completely.
• For the tomato concasse: In a saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, oregano and chile flakes if using, and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes, lower the heat and simmer until the sauce is thick and chunky, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.
• For the empanadas: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Roll out each sheet of puff pastry dough to a 12-by-12-inch square and cut four 6-inch rounds out of each sheet. Place 1 slice eggplant in the middle of the dough round. Top with a tablespoon of tomato concasse, followed by a piece of the mozzarella cheese. Fold the dough over and seal using the back of a fork. Whisk the egg with a little water and brush the empanadas. Sprinkle a little dried oregano and the Parmesan on the tops. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.
• Puree the remaining tomato concasse; that'll be your dipping sauce for the empanadas.

STUFFED EGGPLANT PARM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Fit 2 baking sheets with cooling racks.
• Cut the eggplant into round slices about 1/2-inch thick and place on the prepared baking sheets.
• Combine the olive oil and garlic in a small bowl and mix well. Pat the eggplant slices dry, brush each slice with the olive oil mixture and season with salt. Place the eggplant in the oven to roast until just tender, about 8 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and working one at a time, spread 1 to 2 teaspoons marinara sauce over each eggplant slice. Add a slice of mozzarella and another spoonful of marinara. Place another slice of roasted eggplant on top and gently press together. Set aside and repeat until all the eggplant has been used.
• Set up 3 bowls or shallow dishes on the countertop - one with flour and 1 teaspoon salt, one with beaten eggs, milk and 1 teaspoon salt and the third with breadcrumbs and 1 teaspoon salt.
• Carefully take the assembled eggplant stacks and dip them into flour, then the egg making sure that all sides are completely coated. Roll in the breadcrumbs, again taking care to cover all sides. Set aside on a clean baking sheet while the remaining pieces are breaded.
• Pour oil into a large cast-iron pan to a depth of 3/4-inch. Heat the oil to 375 degrees F.
• Carefully add the eggplant pieces, 3 or 4 at a time, and fry until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain on a cooling rack and rest for 1 minute before transferring to a plate to serve. Repeat with the remaining eggplant stacks. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve with extra sauce on the side.

EGGPLANT PARM

Steps:

• 1. First take all of your ingredients out. Then take a skillet add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• 2. Next take the two eggplants and peel them with a vegetable peeler. Once they are peeled slice them horizontally into 1/4 inch slices. You will have to estimate the width. You want the eggplant to be thick but not too thick. Also you have to be carefull that the eggplant is not too thin. Otherwise it will fall apart when you fry it.
• 3. Take the sliced eggplant place it in a bowl with cold water. Add to the bowl a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of sugar. Let it sit for 15 minutes. You will notice that the water is changing colors. The salt will pull out any insect that may be in the vegetable. The sugar will help with the bitterness and pull the acid along with the salt.
• 4. Next take the slices, place them on a couple of paper towels to dry. Now prepare your egg mixture and breadcrumb mixture.
• 5. For the egg mixture, add the three eggs,buttermilk, garlic powder, and onion powder. Whisk combining these ingedients.
• 6. Even if you are using seasoned breadcrumbs, you may still add a pinch of garlic and onion powder to it. The more flavor you add, the more enjoyable it will be!
• 7. This step will differ from the practices of a professional chef. Take the eggplant and put it into the egg mixture. Now dredge it in the breadcrumbs. Depending on the size of your pan try to have 3 or 4 slices completed.
• 8. Take the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and place it in the frying pan. Put on a medium flame to first heat the oil. Be careful not to let the oil start to smoke, this means it is starting to burn. Check the oil's heat by placing a few breadcrumbs in it. If the crumbs start to fry, then you know it is ready.
• 9. Once the oil is ready, fry the eggplant. Be sure to watch the heat of the pan. After you turn the eggplant over, you will see that it becomes tender in the middle. This is what you want to acheive. You do not want the eggplant to be hard in the middle. Repeat process until all the eggplant is cooked.
• 10. Take the eggplant out and place them on sheets of paper towel to drain the excess oil.
• 11. Take the Italian sauce that you are using and line a pan with it. Place a layer of the eggplant on the bottom of the pan. Then add a tablespoon of sauce on top of the eggplant. This helps to keep it moist as it bakes.
• 12. Combine all the cheeses in a separate bowl to make it easier. Take approximately two teaspoons of the cheese mixture and layer it on top of the sauced eggplant. Sprinkle parmigiana cheese over it.
• 13. Repeat this until the eggplant is gone. Please note that depending on the amount of cheese you use, you may have to make another bowl of it. I always make extra, especially for the little hands that want to taste the cheese!
• 14. Finally cover with sauce and parmegean cheese. I prefer the romano cheese instead of just parmigiana. Place this into the oven on 375 degrees for about an 30 minutes. You will know that it is down because of the way the cheese melts and it bubbles.
• 15. Take it out, let it cool for at least 15 minutes. Slice and enjoy! Serve it with your favorite pasta or rice. Buon Appetito!
• 16. Recipe Variation: Instead of using whole milk products substitute low fat, or fat free. Instead of using the whole eggs, use six (6) egg whites. In lieu of frying the eggplant bake it on a cookie sheet with a drop of oil on the bottom. When you lay the eggplant spinkle oil over the top of it to keep it from drying out. If you do not want to use buttermilk use regular milk or plain yogart.