Classic Eggplant Parmesan
By Nicole KonstantinakosPublished on April 7, 2020
Time
1¾ hours
Yield
Serves 8
Italian Name:
Parmigiana di melanzane
Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basilEggplant
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 8 Italian eggplants (6 to 9 ounces each), sliced lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick planksSalt and pepper 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced thin7 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 10 fresh basil leaves, torn into 1-inch piecesBefore You Begin
Be careful when opening the oven in step 3 as the eggplant will release steam. Fresh mozzarella is key to the success of this recipe; do not substitute low-moisture mozzarella. If using fresh mozzarella packed in water, press the slices between layers of paper towels to remove excess moisture before using. If you can't find Italian eggplants, substitute 4 pounds of small globe eggplants.
Instructions
- Pulse tomatoes in food processor until smooth, about 10 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Cook oil and garlic in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and ¼ teaspoon salt, bring to simmer, and cook until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in basil.
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil and brush each sheet with 1 tablespoon oil. Arrange half of eggplant in single layer on prepared sheets. Brush tops of eggplant planks with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt.
- Roast eggplant until tender and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let eggplant cool slightly on sheets, then transfer, still on foil, to wire racks to cool completely. Line now-empty sheets with additional foil and brush each sheet with 1 tablespoon oil. Repeat brushing, seasoning, and roasting remaining eggplant; transfer to wire racks.
- Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Spread ½ cup tomato sauce in bottom of 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Layer one-quarter of eggplant over sauce, overlapping planks as needed to fit. Spread ¼ cup sauce over eggplant, then top with one-third of mozzarella and 1 tablespoon Parmigiano. Repeat layering of eggplant, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and Parmigiano two more times.
- Layer remaining eggplant in dish, spread remaining tomato sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup Parmigiano. Bake until bubbling around edges, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before sprinkling with basil and serving.
for the tomato sauce
for the eggplant
Time
1¾ hoursYield
Serves 8Italian Name:
Parmigiana di melanzaneIngredients
Tomato Sauce
Eggplant
Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
Eggplant
Ingredients
Tomato Sauce
Eggplant
Why This Recipe Works
Thin, silky—and unbreaded—eggplant slices are layered with mozzarella di bufala and tomato sauce, and topped with Parmigiano Reggiano. In Naples, where eggplant is plentiful all year, they have a saying: A parmigiana e' mulignane ca se fa a' Napule è semp'a meglio!, or “The eggplant parmigiana made in Naples is always the best!” Recipes often call for salting the eggplant before frying it in copious amounts of olive oil, making this dish a time-consuming project. We tested numerous methods of salting, frying, and roasting the eggplant and found that we could get creamy, tender eggplant slices simply by roasting them. The dry heat drove off unwanted moisture, making salting unnecessary, and with just a thin brush of olive oil the slices maintained a creamy, delicate interior and a golden, roasted exterior.
Before You Begin
Be careful when opening the oven in step 3 as the eggplant will release steam. Fresh mozzarella is key to the success of this recipe; do not substitute low-moisture mozzarella. If using fresh mozzarella packed in water, press the slices between layers of paper towels to remove excess moisture before using. If you can't find Italian eggplants, substitute 4 pounds of small globe eggplants.
Instructions
- Pulse tomatoes in food processor until smooth, about 10 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Cook oil and garlic in large saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and ¼ teaspoon salt, bring to simmer, and cook until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in basil.
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil and brush each sheet with 1 tablespoon oil. Arrange half of eggplant in single layer on prepared sheets. Brush tops of eggplant planks with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt.
- Roast eggplant until tender and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let eggplant cool slightly on sheets, then transfer, still on foil, to wire racks to cool completely. Line now-empty sheets with additional foil and brush each sheet with 1 tablespoon oil. Repeat brushing, seasoning, and roasting remaining eggplant; transfer to wire racks.
- Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Spread ½ cup tomato sauce in bottom of 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Layer one-quarter of eggplant over sauce, overlapping planks as needed to fit. Spread ¼ cup sauce over eggplant, then top with one-third of mozzarella and 1 tablespoon Parmigiano. Repeat layering of eggplant, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and Parmigiano two more times.
- Layer remaining eggplant in dish, spread remaining tomato sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup Parmigiano. Bake until bubbling around edges, about 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before sprinkling with basil and serving.
for the tomato sauce
for the eggplant
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