Egg Plant Parmesan recipes are as classically Italian as they are divergently different. This version presents a baked, gluten free option, but you can easily substitute glutenous breading’s instead. A simple red sauce is called for that can be spiced up, just make sure you use San Marzano tomatoes. I like adding fresh basil just before serving.
Ingredients
- 2 Egg plants – sliced to 1/2″ thick rounds (peeling optional)
- 2 Eggs
- 16 oz Marinara sauce
- 8 oz Mozzarella – grated
- 1.25 cups Parmesan – grated
- 1 cup GF Panko crumbs (or crushed GF corn flakes)
- 0.75 cups GF flour
- 2 tsp Fresh basil – chiffonade, (0.5 tsp dried basil)
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- 0.5 tsp Garlic powder
- Olive oil to coat baking pan
- Fresh basil for garnish
Process
- Mise en Place: Measure and prepare your ingredients prior to starting.
- Slice eggplant into 0.5″ thick slices, salt both sides, then place on a wire rack half to one hour.
- Whisk eggs in shallow bowl.
- In separate bowl, add the flour.
- In third bowl, combine breadcrumbs, 0.75 cups parmesan, and seasonings.
- Rinse eggplant to remove excess salt and pat dry with paper towels.
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Taking each slice in turn, dip into the flour followed by the egg and then the breadcrumb mix.
- Place each slice on baking sheet in a single layer, leaving space between each piece.
- Bake ~15 mins, flip and bake ~15 mins more.
- Increase oven temp to 400ºF.
- Transfer slices to casserole dish.
- Top each slice with 3 TBLs of sauce.
- Sprinkle on mozzarella cheese.
- Top with basil leaves.
- Bake ~20 mins. or until cheese has nice brown crust.
- If cheese browns before slices are to your liking, tent dish with foil.
- Allow to cool before serving or the cheese will burn your mouth.
