its parts. Yes you can make this dish without growing your own eggplant...of course; but start compromising on anything else and your results will be limited.
Eggplant Parmesan
1 egg beaten
3 tablespoons water
2 cups plain fine bread crumbs
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Two small Italian eggplants – sliced in 3/4 inch
circles ( skin on or off your preference)
½ cup – ¾ cup olive oil
6-8 oz good quality fresh Ricotta cheese *
16 oz. Fresh mozzarella sliced thin
4 cups homemade marinara tomato sauce **
¼ cup grated good quality Romano cheese
Beat the egg and water together in a medium bowl. Combine the bread crumbs, parsley, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese in a large plate. Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture and then coat with bread crumb mixture. Repeat with all the slices placing them in a single layer on parchment
paper covered counter or in large plates.
Heat oil to medium high in a large heavy frying pan. Fry the eggplant slices in batches.
Repeat with all the slices placing them in a single layer in one large baking dish or two baking dishes if you don't have one large enough.
Place a teaspoon of ricotta cheese on each ggplant slice and then place a slice of mozzarella on top of each spoonful of ricotta cheese. Pour 3 cups of the tomato sauce over all the eggplant. (reserve the other cup of sauce to serve on the side.) Sprinkle the Romano cheese evenly
over all the eggplant slices.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes until the cheese is melted and slightly bubbly.
* see my blog from april All About Ricotta Cheese http://themixingspoon.weebly.com/1/post/2012/04/all-about-ricotta-cheese.html
** Here's the Tomato Sauce recipe. Omit the meatball part or not and save them for another meal or side dish to the
eggplant. http://themixingspoon.weebly.com/1/post/2011/09/we-called-it-gravy-tomato-sauce-and-meatballs.html