Try this Eggplant Parmesan recipe, or contribute your own.
- salt to taste
- 3 eggs
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 cup white wine
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 shallots or 1/2 small vidalia onion, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh garlic minced
- 4 summer vine ripened tomatoes medium chopped
- 4-8 leaves fresh basil minced
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme minced
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano minced
- 2 small eggplants
- 3 cups bread crumbs
- 2 cups fresh mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese grated (optional)
- Carbohydrate 99.827522509202 g
- Cholesterol 96.0110000023247 mg
- Fat 39.2872732761889 g
- Fiber 12.8497002341806 g
- Protein 45.1611225013024 g
- Saturated Fat 18.0891827898061 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (727g)
- Sodium 2376.09264330257 mg
- Sugar 86.9778222750214 g
- Trans Fat 9.48437123612569 g
- Calories 931 calories
Step-by-step
- In 3-quart sauce pan, combine olive oil, onions and garlic.
- Cook on High (425 degrees) until onions and garlic are lightly browned.
- Add white wine, tomatoes, vinegar, herbs, salt and pepper and simmer sauce for about 15 minutes.
- Keep sauce warm on Medium-Low (175 degrees) while you prepare eggplant.
- Slice eggplant into 1/2-inch thick slices.
- Lightly season eggplant with salt; rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Rinse salt off eggplant and pat dry.
- In small bowl, beat eggs.
- In separate bowl, toss olive oil in bread crumbs.
- Dredge eggplant in flour, then eggs, and finally bread crumbs. Be sure slices are completely coated in bread crumbs.
- Place slices on 3-inch rack and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Once there is 1-2 minutes left in cooking process, pause Oven and add cheese to each eggplant slice and finish cooking.
- Pour prepared sauce onto platter and top with eggplant slices.
Will the acidity of the wine pierce through the concentrated sweetness of the fruit, or will the sauce demand a pinch of sugar to balance the pot? When four pounds of summer-ripened tomatoes hit the saucepan alongside minced shallots, fresh garlic, basil, thyme, and oregano, the resulting liquid bears little resemblance to canned puree. Fresh fruit releases heavy moisture during the initial fifteen-minute simmer, requiring careful heat management to reduce the white wine and balsamic vinegar into a cohesive glaze without scorching the aromatics. Utilizing vine-ripened summer produce brings vibrant malic and citric acids to the dish, cutting directly through the rich dairy fats of fresh mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese. Selecting field-grown specimens at peak ripeness eliminates the flat, tinny undertones that force cooks to rely on heavy-handed seasoning later in the cooking process.
Controlling Moisture and Crispness
Slicing the two small eggplants into uniform half-inch rounds establishes the foundation for structural integrity, while a thirty-minute resting period in the refrigerator draws out bitter, excess water through osmosis. Rinsing away the surface sodium and thoroughly blotting the rounds dry prevents steaming inside the oven, which is the primary mechanism that destroys the desired crunchy crust. Dredging each piece sequentially through flour, beaten eggs, and olive-oil-tossed bread crumbs creates an impermeable barrier around the tender flesh. Baking these coated rounds on a three-inch elevated rack at four hundred degrees Fahrenheit for fifteen minutes allows hot air to circulate completely underneath, guaranteeing an even crunch that frying pans often struggle to replicate uniformly without soaking up excess lipids.Timing the Cheese Melt
Adding two cups of fresh mozzarella during the final one to two minutes of baking prevents the dairy solids from separating into an oily film while ensuring the cheese melts thoroughly over the hot crust. Pouring the warm herb-infused tomato sauce onto a serving platter before arranging the baked eggplant preserves the crisp exterior texture by keeping the breaded base elevated above the liquid until the exact moment of service.
