How To Make Eggplant Parmesan? Baked, Crispy

• Food: Eggplant Parmesan

• Writer: Alice

• Content-Type: Food Blog

One of your family’s favorite recipes will be baked eggplant parmesan! Herbs, tomato sauce, and cheese are spread over crispy eggplant.

One of my favorite meals as a child was my mom’s version of eggplant parmesan. Every night, my family ate supper together, and my mother made everything from scratch.

Because convenience meals like that were simply not worth the extra cost, tomato sauce and cheese were never prepared in jars. For all of us, dinnertime followed a reliable routine—except during the summer.

Then, my sister and I needed to focus on more pressing issues. We had to participate in relay races while wearing jelly shoes, leap from swing sets, and keep an eye out for the ice cream vendor.

We scrambled to eat as quickly as we could when my mother called us in for supper so that we may return to the outside to play. The best thing to eat was play, though. Unless she was preparing eggplant Parmesan, that is.

Even if it meant staying inside and savoring it for a few additional minutes before venturing back outside to play, the lovely whiff of saucy, cheesy goodness wafting out of the oven was something to truly get thrilled about.

MY RECIPE FOR EGGPLANT PARMESAN

My mother’s eggplant Parmesan and those pleasant family memories of the summertime sprang to mind when Sub Zero, Wolf, and Cove asked me what living delightfully meant to me.

I figured now would be the ideal time to create my eggplant parmesan recipe as eggplant is in its prime season. It’s a delectable, lighter tribute to my mother’s traditional recipe.

I make my marinara sauce the same way my mother does by boiling crushed tomatoes on my Wolf burner for roughly 20 minutes.

Then, I generously sprinkle oregano, thyme, and Parmesan over the panko-coated eggplant for a fresh, herbal flavor. I bake the breaded eggplant slices until they are wonderfully crisp and golden brown rather than frying them.

I top them off by adding homemade marinara sauce and fresh mozzarella slices. Of course, as it comes out of the oven, I can’t help but top the entire dish with large basil leaves from our garden!

MAKING EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Are you prepared to make eggplant parm? What you must do is as follows:

• The eggplant is breaded. In one shallow bowl, combine the herbs, Parmesan, and panko coating. In another shallow bowl, whisk the two eggs with a small amount of almond milk. Before drizzling each slice of eggplant with panko, dip it into the egg mixture. Make sure the eggplant is completely coated!
• The eggplant is baked. On two rimmed baking pans lined with paper, arrange the breaded eggplant slices in a single layer. Sprinkle with olive oil, then bake at 400 degrees for a soft, golden brown result. I strongly advise utilizing the convection setting on your oven if it has one. The panko becomes delightfully toasted and crisp when I use the convection bake setting on our Wolf oven. The customary fried eggplant is not something I miss at all.
• Spread it out! In the bottom of a sizable casserole dish, spread some tomato sauce. Add half the sliced mozzarella, extra marinara, and a layer of eggplant pieces. Repeat the process, adding any leftover mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses as the final layer.
• Bake! For about 20 minutes, bake at 400°, or until the cheese bubbles. After that, turn on the broiler for a few minutes to begin to brown the cheese.
• Serve with a garnish. Before cutting and serving, let the hot eggplant Parmesan rest for a few minutes. After that, garnish it with some fresh basil and enjoy!

TIPS FOR MAKING BAKED EGGPLANT PARMESAN

• As uniformly as you can, slice the eggplant. Try to slice your eggplant into uniform-sized pieces because even cuts result in even cooking. Avoid overcooking some components before other parts get tender! The fresh mozzarella should be cut to a constant thickness to ensure equal melting and browning.
• The Parmesan should be freshly grated. Getting a quality chunk of Parmigiano Reggiano (or even pecorino cheese) and grating it yourself can give your eggplant Parmesan extra taste.
• Give the eggplant slices a generous, thick panko coating. Don’t scrimp on the delicious crispy coating because it contributes to the dish’s greatest texture and flavor together with the Parmesan, herbs, and red pepper flakes.
• Olive oil is a must-have. Be sure to brush oil on the breaded eggplant slices before baking them. It’s crucial for getting the panko a good, crisp golden brown color.
• Between the layers, season. Your choice of marinara and Parmesan cheese will affect the overall seasoning of your eggplant parmesan. To ensure that the finished dish is well-seasoned, I prefer to put a little salt and a few grinds of pepper between the layers of eggplant and cheese when using my marinara sauce.

IDEAS FOR SERVING

If you’re searching for a side dish, pasta (or spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles!) or nice crusty bread are both excellent choices. This eggplant Parmesan recipe is hearty enough to be a dinner on its own.

When I prepare it for guests or family, I also like to serve it with a straightforward vegetable side dish like roasted broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, grilled zucchini, or any of the following salad recipes:

• Panzanella Salad
• Classic Caprese Salad
• Burrata with Heirloom Tomatoes
• Cherry Tomato Couscous Salad
• Italian Chopped Salad
• Caesar Salad

BAKED EGGPLANT PARMESAN

With the help of this delicious, lighter-baked eggplant recipe, you can learn how to prepare eggplant parmesan. Make it for your next party or family supper because it’s ideal for feeding a large group.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch thick rounds
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 1 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, more for sprinkling
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
• 28 ounces marinara sauce
• 2 large balls of fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put two baking sheets in the oven and preheat them to 400 degrees.
2. Whisk the eggs and almond milk in a medium-sized shallow dish.
3. Combine the panko, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and a few grinds of pepper in a different medium-sized shallow dish.
4. Slices of eggplant are dipped in egg mixture, then panko mixture. Sprinkle with olive oil, arrange on the baking sheets, and bake for 18 minutes, or until soft and browned.
5. Spread 1/2 cup marinara, layer half the eggplant, then cover with 1 cup marinara and half the mozzarella in an 8×12 or 9×13-inch baking dish. Repetition is required with the leftover mozzarella, marinara, and eggplant. Add the last 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, a couple more pinches of sea salt, and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake the cheese for 20 minutes, or until it is nicely melted. The cheese should be browned and bubbled after 2 to 4 minutes of broiling in the oven.
6. Add fresh basil after taking the dish out of the oven.