HOW

TO MAKE EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Prep Time: 1 hr 50 min Cook Time: 1 hr 30 min

Parmigiana di melanzane, also known as

eggplant parmesan, is a classic staple of
southern Italian cooking. The name
parmigiana translates as from Parma,
which is a northern Italian city, however, the
recipe actually originated in the southern
Campania regions of Naples and Sicily in the
late 18th to early 19th century, and did not
even include parmesan cheese, but instead
pecorino, provolone, caciocavallo or
mozzarella. Some say that the dishs name
really has no link to parmesan cheese or
Parma, but that the name truly comes from
the Sicilian term palmigiana meaning
shutters, which are the louvered panes of
shutters or the palm-thatched roofs that the
eggplant layers resemble.

Today, eggplant parmesan is commonly prepared as a casserole dish and consists of thinly
fried eggplant slices layered and baked together with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese,
parmesan cheese, and basil. Throughout the world, Italian cuisine has become tremendously
popular and has evolved into way more than just pizza and spaghetti, thus countless
variations of eggplant parmesan have been created and enjoyed by Italians and non-Italians
everywhere.
This recipe will build upon the classic Italian dish, particularly aiming to mirror its
authenticity, and will evoke an abundance of fresh and bold flavors. By following this
timeless recipe step by step, you can create an experience that will surely become a tradition
to share with others for years to come.

MATERIALS
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Oven
Medium-sized sauce pan
Cutting board
Whisk
Large frying pan

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Stove
Medium-sized bowls
Measuring cups
Grater
Vegetable peeler

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Knives/Spoons
11x8casserole dish
Non-stick pan
Oven mitt
Paper towels

INGREDIENTS
THE EGGPLANT

THE T OMATO SAUCE

o 2 medium eggplants, about 1 lb.

each
o Salt, to taste
o 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
o 2 cups tomato sauce
o 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
o cup parmesan cheese, grated
o cup loosely-packed chopped or
julienned fresh basil
o 1 cup flour
o 2 eggs
o 1 cups Panko breadcrumbs
o 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

o cup extra-virgin olive oil

o 1 yellow onion, chopped into 1/4-
inch dice
o 4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly
sliced
o 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves,
chopped
o medium carrot, finely shredded
o 2 (28-ounce) cans peeled whole
tomatoes
o Salt

SAFETY INFORMATION

Please read the following information before starting this recipe.

Always make sure your knife is sharp enough because dull

blades are harder to use given that they require more
pressure to cut. The following graphic illustrates the safest
way to handle a knife, in which you grip the knife with your
thumb and index finger around the top of the blade. This
provides extra control over the blade.


In order to prevent any burn-related injuries, please be
hyperaware of the extremely hot temperatures of the stove and oven. Make sure to
always wear oven mitts when handling hot pots and pans. In addition, wear long
sleeves and keep your distance when frying the eggplant because the oil can splatter
and burn you if you are not careful.


If you are under the age of 13, you must have a responsible adult present to help guide
through the cooking process safely.

DIRECTIONS
PREPARING THE TOMATO SAUCE
Preparation time: 5 min. Cook time: 45 min.

Of course, you are welcome to buy a jar of tomato

sauce at the grocery store, but if you want to
prepare your eggplant parmesan completely from
scratch, follow these steps to make a simple tomato
sauce:
1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

First, peel and chop the onion into -inch dices.

Peel 4 cloves of garlic and finely slice the cloves.
Peel your medium carrot, and then use your grater to shred it.
In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Once the olive oil is heated, add the onion and garlic, and cook until soft and light
golden brown. This will take about 8 to 10 minutes.

6) Now, add the carrot and thyme, and cook for another 5 minutes or more, until the
carrot is soft.

7) Next, add the tomatoes and their juices into the pan, and raise the heat on the stove to
high heat. Bring the sauce to a boil and make sure to stir often so that the ingredients
dont stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.

8) Once, the sauce is boiling, lower the heat to low heat and let it simmer for about 30
minutes, or until it thickens to the consistency of hot cereal.

9) Finally, season your sauce with salt to your taste preference, about 1 teaspoon.

Note: You can prepare the tomato sauce ahead of time. It can hold for up to
one week in the refrigerator, or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Note: If you plan to buy your sauce, I highly recommend brands like Raos
Homemade Marinara Sauce and Cento.

PREPARING THE EGGPLANT

Prep time: 1 hr 45 min Cook time: 45 min

Note: When choosing an eggplant, be sure to look for smooth, shiny skin, and make
sure it is relatively heavy for its size. In addition, you can test its ripeness by pressing
your finger against the skin, and if it leaves an imprint, then the eggplant is ripe.
Finally, smaller eggplants are best because they tend to be sweeter and less bitter,
with thinner skin and less seeds.

Choose a male eggplant: You can

distinguish between the genders by
looking at the eggplants base. Female
eggplants have a deeper indentation at
the bottom that is shaped like a dash
mark, while males have shallower and
more rounded marks at their bottoms.

Female

Male

1) SLICE A ND SWEAT T HE E GGPLANT

Begin by slicing the eggplant in approximately inch thick slices.
Sweat the eggplant by spreading the slices out
on a sheet tray covered with a few sheets of
paper towels. Liberally sprinkle salt over both
sides of the slices and let sit for about 1 hour.
This helps remove some of the bitterness and
extracts excess water from the eggplant.
Use a paper towel to pat the slices completely
dry.
While letting the eggplant sweat, you can grate
the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.

2) PREPARING T HE C OATING F OR B READING

Now, put the eggs, flour and breadcrumbs into 3
separate dishes.
Combine the 2 eggs with 1 teaspoon of water, and
beat them together.
Add 1 tablespoon of the Italian seasoning to the
breadcrumbs and mix until evenly distributed.

Note: If you put the flour in a large plastic bag, you can add several eggplant
slices to the bag at once, close the bag and shake it so that numerous slices can
be coated at once.

3) BREADING T HE E GGPLANT
Put one slice of eggplant into the flour and coat both sides. Make sure each slice has
a thin layer of flour over the outside.
Now, one by one, dip the slices into
the beaten egg mixture and coat
both sides with the egg.
Next put the slices into the
breadcrumbs, and again coat both
sides. You may have to press some
of the breadcrumbs on the slices to
be sure that they stick.

Note: You can preheat your oven to 425F now

so that the oven will be ready when the time
comes.

4) FRYING T HE E GGPLANT
After finishing breading the eggplant, heat your frying pan to medium high heat, and
add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan.
Once the oil is hot, add enough eggplant slices
to fit in the pan and do not overcrowd the
pan. To be sure your pan is hot enough, listen
for a sizzling sound.
Cook the slices on each side for about 2 to 2
minutes or until golden brown on each side.
Place the cooked eggplant on a plate lined with paper towels to remove any excess
oil. This ensures that the eggplant will not be greasy.
After the first batch is cooked, clean the pan with a paper towel. Then add another
3 tablespoons of olive oil and repeat until all of the slices are cooked.

5) ASSEMBLING T HE E GGPLANT P ARMESAN
Spread cup of tomato sauce evenly over the bottom of your casserole dish.
Place half of the eggplant slices in a mostly even layer along the bottom of the dish.
Spread an additional 1 cup of tomato sauce evenly over the eggplant.
Next, sprinkle 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce
followed by 1/3 cup of the parmesan cheese.


Repeat with the latter half of the eggplant, tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmesan
cheeses.

Once the dish is fully assembled, bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until
the cheese is melted and bubbling, and is slightly golden brown. Finally, you can
remove the dish from the oven and garnish with cup fresh basil.

Enjoy!