Directions: |
Directions:What I like to do first is make my marinara sauce. Cut up a hand full of Basil chiffonade style. ( big cuts) then take about 7 cloves of garlic and chop fine. Take your beefsteak or whatever tomatoes you choose cut them up roughly, throw them in a blender or food processor with a little bit of olive oil so they blend easily. Take a medium size sauce pot saute' your garlic and basil on low/medium in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot. Saute' for about 1 minute to 2 minutes keep and eye out not to burn garlic. Throw in your blended tomatoes cook for about15 minutes on low/medium then throw in your can of pastene. Simmer on low while you prep the eggplant.
EGGPLANT PREP:
Preheat oven to 350
Cut your eggplant in 1/2 in. slices ( do not peel skin) set aside
Now to make your eggplant assembly line :)
first pan will be flour add a hand full of Romano pinch of salt and pepper
(I just fill the pans full since the eggplant take a lot of dry ingredients)
second pan -crack about 3 eggs whisk them with a fork until blended well
third pan- breadcrumbs add a good portion of Romano your chopped basil , a hand full of fresh parsley chopped, a little salt and pepper mix it up with your hand.
now dip each slice as follows; flour, egg, breadcrumb
take a large frying pan, heat olive oil on medium/high for about 3 minutes. Add your eggplant 3 at a or whatever will fit comfortably in pan. Each side will take about 1 minute since you're not fully cooking the eggplant in the pan just frying to a nice golden color. Have your large roasting or lasagna pan right next to your frying pan. I just add the eggplant in layers as I go. No need to blot on a paper towel. ** Don't forget to change out your oil as well when it gets "dirty" this will give the eggplant a light texture and a clean taste. While you layer your eggplant take your marinara sauce and ladle a small amount on each layer until you have a full pan of eggplant top with Marinara once again and about 14 0z. of shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and place in the middle rack on 350 for about 50 minutes to an hour. You can check if the eggplant is cooked through by placing a long toothpick through all the layers. After they are cooked remove foil and set oven to broil to brown cheese quickly. |
This recipe for Gina's Eggplant Parmigiana is from