Golden Crispy Eggplant Delight: Judy’s Legendary Parmesan 🍆

Judy’s Eggplant (Aubergine) Parm

Description:
This recipe is a treasured family dish passed down from my mother-in-law, Judy, and let me tell you, it’s nothing short of spectacular. Despite its simplicity in ingredients, the flavors in this Eggplant Parmesan are nothing short of complex and delightful. Be forewarned though, this dish does require some serious labor of love, especially with all the frying involved to achieve that perfect golden crispiness on the eggplant slices. But trust me, every minute spent in the kitchen will be worth it when you take that first delicious bite. For the ultimate experience, pair it with some crusty bread or focaccia to soak up all those irresistible juices. The beauty of this dish is its versatility – you can assemble it ahead of time and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake, or even freeze it (unbaked) for later enjoyment.

Recipe Category: Vegetable

Keywords: European, Weeknight, Oven, Freezer, < 4 Hours

Ingredients:

Nutritional Information (per serving):

• Calories: 426.3
• Fat Content: 26g
• Saturated Fat Content: 13.6g
• Cholesterol Content: 74.5mg
• Sodium Content: 715.4mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 25.3g
• Fiber Content: 12.8g
• Sugar Content: 11.4g
• Protein Content: 27.1g

Cooking Time:

• Preparation Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Cooking Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Eggplant:

   • Slice the eggplant lengthwise into slices about 3/8-inch thick.
   • Sprinkle salt on both sides of the eggplant slices and stack them upright in a colander.
   • Let the eggplant sweat for about 30 minutes to remove excess moisture.
   • Rinse the eggplant slices and pat them dry with paper towels.

2. Fry the Eggplant:

   • In a frying pan, heat olive oil to about 1 1/2 inches depth until hot but not smoking.
   • Dredge the eggplant slices in flour on both sides.
   • Fry the eggplant slices in the hot oil until golden brown on both sides.
   • Drain the fried eggplant slices on paper towels and repeat the process with the remaining eggplant.

3. Prepare the Tomato Sauce:

   • In another pan, combine Italian plum tomatoes, olive oil, and salt.
   • Simmer the tomatoes over low to medium heat until they are reduced by half.

4. Assemble the Eggplant Parmesan:

   • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
   • Grease the bottom and sides of a baking dish (approximately 11×7 inches) with butter.
   • Arrange a single layer of overlapping eggplant slices in the bottom of the dish.
   • Spoon cooked tomato sauce over the eggplant slices.
   • Cover the sauce with a layer of fresh mozzarella cheese and sprinkle generously with grated Parmigiano-reggiano cheese.
   • Add a layer of basil leaves.
   • Repeat the layers, finishing with a layer of eggplant on top.
   • Sprinkle the remaining Parmigiano-reggiano cheese over the top layer of eggplant.

5. Bake the Eggplant Parmesan:

   • Place the baking dish in the upper third of the preheated oven.
   • Bake for about 20 minutes, then check for excess liquid.
   • If needed, remove excess liquid with a spoon.
   • Continue baking for another 15 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbly.
   • Let the Eggplant Parmesan rest for a few minutes before serving.

6. Freezing Instructions:

   • To freeze, cover the dish with foil and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag if desired. Individual portions can also be cut and microwaved for quick meals.

7. Reheating Instructions:

   • Thaw the frozen Eggplant Parmesan and preheat the oven to 350°F.
   • Cover the dish and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes until heated through.

This Eggplant Parmesan recipe is a labor of love, but one taste and you’ll understand why it’s worth every minute spent in the kitchen. Enjoy the layers of flavor and the comforting warmth of this classic dish, whether you’re serving it fresh or enjoying it as a convenient freezer meal. 🍆🧀🍅