Eggplant Parmesan. Eggplant slices are dipped in egg and bread crumbs and then baked, instead of fried. The slices are layered with spaghetti sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Classic for a reason, Italian baked Eggplant Parmesan is comfort food at its best.

There is something about the dish that feels like it's giving you a giant hug. Growing up, I was not a huge fan of eggplant. This Baked Eggplant Parmesan recipe is lightened up a bit with baked (instead of fried) panko-crusted roasted eggplant, and layered up with a zesty combination of marinara, cheeses and fresh herbs. You can cook Eggplant Parmesan using 23 ingredients and 8 steps. Here is how you achieve it.

Ingredients of Eggplant Parmesan

1. It's of 🍝 For the sauce.
2. Prepare 6 cloves of garlic.
3. You need 5 of anchovies (salted/oiled not the fresh variety!).
4. Prepare 1 of large onion.
5. You need 2 cans of chopped tomatoes.
6. It's 1 of small red pepper.
7. You need 1/4 cup of olive oil.
8. It's 1/4 cup of white wine.
9. It's of large handful fresh basil.
10. You need of large handful fresh parsley.
11. It's 1 tablespoon of dried oregano.
12. It's of Salt and pepper.
13. Prepare of 🍆 Aubergines and layers.
14. You need 4 of large aubergines - you can use Eggplants if you prefer ;).
15. It's 8 oz of fresh mozzarella.
16. You need 8 oz of grated mozzarella (buy pre-grated).
17. Prepare 3 cups of panko breadcrumbs.
18. Prepare 1 tablespoon of dried oregano.
19. It's 1 teaspoon of black pepper.
20. Prepare 1.5 cups of freshly grated parmesan.
21. It's 1 cup of flour.
22. You need 4-5 of eggs (depending upon size).
23. It's 1.5 cups of olive oil.

One bite of Eggplant Parmesan and you'll be sold. To make legit eggplant parm, you'll need to fry eggplant. And to yield the best results, you're going to want to let it sit for a bit with salt to draw out. This baked eggplant parmesan recipe will become one of your family favorites!

Eggplant Parmesan instructions

1. Peel and slice your aubergines. Slices should be no thicker than 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle with salt, then layer on a baking sheet surrounded by kitchen roll/paper towels. Add another baking sheet on top and finally put a heavy water-filled bowl on top. Leave for about an hour..
2. While the aubergines are getting ready, you can make the sauce. Heat oil in a pan then add onions and garlic and fry for a few minutes until translucent. Then add the peppers, anchovies, 3/4 of the basil & parsley, and salt and pepper..
3. After a couple of minutes add the tomatoes and white wine, plus a cup of water. Simmer on a low heat for 20-30 minutes..
4. Using a food processor blend the panko, oregano, 3/4 cup parmesan and salt and pepper until it is a fine powder. Add to a shallow bowl next to a bowl with the eggs (beaten) and another bowl with the flour..
5. Heat 2/3 cup oil in a large frying pan. Dip the aubergine slices first in the flour, then the egg, then in the panko-parmesan mix until well covered. Then fry on both sides until golden brown. The larger your frying pan the more you can fry at once. When the slices are done rest them on a plate covered with paper towels to drain the excess oil..
6. Add the grated mozzarella, the remainder of the basil and parsley (chopped) and what's left of the grated parmesan to a bowl..
7. Spread 1 cup sauce over the bottom of a large baking pan. Then add a layer of aubergine slices (trim as needed). Drizzle 1 cup sauce over and sprinkle with one-third of cheese mixture. Add another layer of aubergine, followed by another cup sauce and half of remaining cheese mixture. Repeat with remaining slices, sauce, and cheese mixture. Add the final fresh mozzarella slices then sprinkle some more oregano on the top..
8. Bake in the middle of the oven until golden brown, normally 45–60 minutes. Important: leave to stand for 20-30 minutes before attempting to serve it has a chance to firm up..

Now that eggplant's in peak season, it's the perfect time to develop an eggplant Parmesan recipe of my own. Their eggplant Parmesan inspired the eggplant lasagna in my cookbook, which includes long strips of roasted eggplant layered between the noodles and marinara. Have you had the chance to try that one? This easy eggplant parmesan recipe is not only delicious, but also healthy. Make baked eggplant parmesan instead of lasagna to skip the unnecessary carbs and still enjoy all the cheesy goodness.