Eggplant Parmesan

Last year my sister-in-law gave me a couple eggplants from her garden. I didn't know what to do with them, so she also shared the recipe for Eggplant Parmesan.

And I found a new love.

So this year I planted my own eggplant. I was a little disappointed at how few eggplant we were able to harvest, but we got enough for several opportunities to indulge in our new favorite dish. And I was able to ditter with the recipe to make it (I think) even better.



At first I had breaded both sides of all the eggplant slices. But the bottom eggplant was rather soggy. A clue from Cook's Country magazine had me eliminating the breading for all but the top layer of eggplant.

 

The remaining eggplant I baked with just a little seasoning. I also used less sauce. Much better.



In a pinch I used jarred pizza or spaghetti sauce but this is definitely better with a fresh homemade sauce. And the sauce cooks while the eggplant bakes so it doesn't take much more time. Besides I love recipes that start with walking out to the garden and bringing back a bowl full of veggies like this.

Don't those colors look good enough to eat!

Eggplant Parmesan

1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided

1 egg, beaten
2 lbs eggplant, sliced 1/2 inch slices
salt and pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chopped tomato
1 sweet pepper, chopped

1 T fresh basil
2 cups mozzarella cheese

Mix bread crumbs and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Place half of eggplant on baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. For the remainder of the eggplant, dip one side in egg then in bread crumbs and place on another baking sheet, crumb side up. Bake eggplant in 475 oven for about 25 minutes on two oven racks, rotating sheets half way through baking time.

While eggplant bakes, saute onion in oil for five minutes. Add garlic and pepper, and saute a few minutes longer. Add tomatoes and cook for about ten minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and basil. Add salt and pepper to sauce if desired.

When eggplant is tender, remove from oven. In 9x13 pan, spread  1 1/2 cup of sauce in bottom of pan. Place unbreaded egg plant on sauce, overlapping as needed. Spread 3/4 cup of sauce over eggplant and sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Layer remaining eggplant, breaded side up. Spoon remaining sauce (about 3/4 cup) over eggplant and remaining 1 cup of cheese. Bake at 475 for 10-15 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.



Indulge.