| 1 | Large or two small eggplants |
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| 2 | Eggs |
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| 1 cup | Panko crumbs, pureed to a fine consistency |
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| 3 tablespoons | Basil, and more for topping |
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| 2 tablespoons | Oregano |
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| 1 tablespoon | Thyme |
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| 1/4 cup | Parmesan, finely grated |
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| 1/4 cup | Parmesan, coarsely grated |
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| 1/2 cup | Mozzarella, coarsely grated |
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| 2 1/2 cups | Marinara |
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Working ahead: If you aren't using pre-grilled eggplant slices from the deli, thinly slice the eggplant(s) and 'sweat' them: set each slice in a dish of salt so one side is lightly coated, then reassemble the eggplant, so that the slices are stacked together with layers of salt between. Wrap the whole eggplant tightly in plastic wrap and let it sit for 15 minutes so the bitter juices can drain. [You can prepare the Panko and cheese and do steps 1, 2 and 4 while you wait.] Unwrap the plastic and rinse the slices with water. Now you can pre-bake or begin the breading process. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1. Beat the eggs in small bowl. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2. Mix Panko, spices and finely grated Parmesan. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3. Dip eggplant slices in egg, dredge in Panko mixture, fry with scant olive oil and put on plate. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4. Mix coarsely grated Parmesan and mozzarella. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5. Layer overlapping eggplant slices and marinara, covering top generously with the coarsely grated cheese mixture, in one large or two small casserole dishes.
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6. Sprinkle basil on top.
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7. Bake for 45-60 minutes at 350 until center eggplant is tender and cheese browns nicely. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Optional: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A. For a glorious mushyness, pre-bake the eggplant slices @400 for 20 min. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ B. Substitute 1/2c anchovy parsley lemon marinara for 1/2 cup of the marinara, or more if you like. Eggplant Parmesan is traditionally layered with cheese throughout, but you are certain not to miss it with this sauce adding so much umami to the dish.