Classic Eggplant Parmesan Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Halve each eggplant lengthwise. Leaving a 1/2-inch border, score the eggplant flesh into 1/2-inch pieces. Scoop out the eggplant cubes with a spoon to create a boat out of the shell. Place the eggplant cubes on a rimmed baking sheet, breaking the large pieces apart with your hands, and toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper and set aside.
• Brush the inside of the eggplant shells with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Place in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake the eggplant shells and cubes, rotating the baking sheet and dish halfway through, until tender, about 20 minutes for the cubes and 30 minutes for the shells.
• Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the red pepper flakes and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until a deep brick red, about 2 minutes. Break up the tomatoes with your hands and add to the skillet along with their juices. Swirl 1/4 cup water around the tomato can and add the liquid to the sauce. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of the dried oregano and the basil. Season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Toss together the panko, parsley, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano in a medium bowl. Season with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss to combine. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to broil.
• Combine the cooked eggplant cubes, 2 cups of the sauce, the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1 cup of the mozzarella and 1/2 cup of the panko mixture in a large bowl. Spoon the eggplant mixture into the 4 shells and top with the remaining 1/3 cup mozzarella and the remaining panko mixture. Broil until the top is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, watching carefully. Serve the remaining sauce alongside.

Steps:

• For the tomato sauce: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and season with salt and red pepper flakes. Cook until the onions become translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sugar and the canned tomatoes. Use a wooden spoon to break up some of the whole tomatoes and cook 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring from time to time. Taste for seasoning, the tomatoes should be fairly broken down and the flavors coming together. Cook for another few minutes if the tomatoes still taste like they need a little more time to break down. Set aside to cool.
• For the eggplant (this step is optional, leave it out if you have limited time): Arrange the eggplant rounds in a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt on both sides of each slice and allow it to sit for about 1 hour. Salting it draws out the liquid and bitter flavor. After an hour, rinse with cold water and dry them thoroughly with a kitchen towel.
• Put the flour in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk and season with salt and pepper. In a third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the oregano and fresh thyme leaves and season with salt and pepper. Dip each eggplant slice in the flour and shake off any excess. Then, dip in the egg mixture, and finally in the breadcrumbs. Make sure to coat both sides of each slice of eggplant. Arrange them in single layers on the baking sheets.
• In a large skillet, pour enough oil to accumulate about 1/2-inch in the bottom. Heat the oil until it begins to smoke lightly (alternatively, test with a thermometer and wait until the oil registers between 380 degrees F and 400 degrees F). Use a pair of kitchen tongs to add a single layer of the eggplant to the pan. Cook them until they are golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the oil and transfer to a baking sheet fitted with a kitchen towel so the eggplant can drain as the others cook. Season lightly with salt. Take care to reheat the oil back up to temperature before adding another batch of slices to the pan.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• To assemble: In a 9 by 13-inch flameproof baking dish, spoon about 1/4 of the tomato sauce on the bottom. Top with a layer of the fried eggplant; the eggplant slices can overlap slightly. Top with about 1/3 of the mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with about 1/4 of the Parmesan and provolone cheeses. Top with a layer of torn basil leaves. Spoon sauce and repeat the layering 2 more times to make 3 layers. End with the remaining mozzarella. Carefully press the layers down firmly into the dish once assembled. Place the dish in the top part of the oven and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. For extra browning, put the dish under the broiler for a minute or two just before serving to get an extra brown cheesy top. I always nibble on a bit of that before sharing it with my friends!

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Layer half each of the eggplant and mushrooms in 13x9-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray; cover with layers of 1/3 each of the Parmesan and mozzarella. Repeat layers.
• Top with pasta sauce; cover.
• Bake 35 min. or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses; bake, uncovered, 5 min. or until mozzarella is melted.

Steps:

• Cut Eggplant into 1/4-1/2 strips.
• Beat eggs with milk and put in a shallow pan big enough to plauce eggplant slices.
• In another pan mix breadcrunbs and parmisian cheese.
• Heat olive Oil in large skillet.
• Dip eggplant slices in egg, then breacrunbs and then put in skillet, cook till golden brownthen flip and cook other side.
• Top with marinara sauce and mozzerella cheese.
• *Note:The amount of bread crumbs and eegs depends on how thick your slices and how large the eggplant is*.

Steps:

• Pre-heat a fan forced oven to 180 degrees celcius. Rub a lasagne dish with olive oil. Slice the eggplant into thin slices. Sprinkle with salt and leave for five minutes before patting them down with paper towel to remove any moisture. .
• Line the bottom of the lasagne dish with one layer of eggplant. Spoon over enough tomatoes to cover, sprinkling over a little bit of the garlic. Repeat with all the eggplant and tomatoes to create your layers. Wrap tightly with foil and bake for 45 mins or until tender.
• Remove from the oven and top with slices of mozzarella. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and place back in the oven for a further 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°.
• Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
• In a small bowl,combine 2 egg whites and egg, stirring with a whisk.
• Dredge eggplant slice in flour,dip in egg mixture,and dredge in breadcrumbs. Repeat procedure with remaining eggplant, flour,egg mixture and breadcrumbs.
• Place slices in a single layer on the baking sheet.
• Coat tops of slices with cooking spray and bake 20 minutes, turning over after 10 minutes.
• Remove from baking sheet and cool.
• Reduce oven temperature to 375°.
• In a large bowl, combine 1 cup mozzarella cheese, 3 tablespoons parmesan, oregano, basil, ricotta, cottage cheese and remaining egg white and mix well.
• Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Spread 1/4 cup pasta sauce in the bottom of dish.
• Arrange 4 lasagna noodles slightly overlapping over the pasta sauce; top with half of cheese mixture, half of eggplant slices and 3/4 cup pasta sauce.
• Repeat layers, ending with noodles.
• Spread remaining pasta sauce on top and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.
• Cover and bake 15 minutes.
• Uncover and bake an additional 35 minutes, or until cheese melts.
• Let stand 5 minutes and serve.