Description

Eggplant Parm is a classic Italian American dish that will surely bring a smile to your face and warm your heart.

Ingredients

2 medium large eggplants 2 large eggs + 2 tablespoons milk or water beaten 2 cups seasoned bread crumbs 4-10 tablespoons of Olive Oil (used to fry the eggplant) 1½ cups Parmigiano cheese 48 oz tomato sauce (6 cups) 1 pound browned ground beef (optional) 2 cups whole milk shredded Mozzarella cheese Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheated 350 degree oven. 9X12 inch baking dish. Brown ground beef (If Using), add tomato sauce and bring to a simmer, then set aside. If not using ground beef, if you tomato sauce is not at room temp add to a sauce pan and bring to a summer. Peal the eggplants (If desired) slice into 1⁄4 inch rounds. Whisk the eggs and water/milk in a shallow bow, add the breadcrumbs to a plate. Dip eggplant slice into the egg and coat each side, press into breadcrumbs to coat. Set aside until all eggplant slices are coated. Add enough olive oil into a skillet over medium heat to coat the bottom. Add several eggplant slices to the skillet but do not over crowd. Fry till golden brown on each side then place on a plate until all eggplant slices have been prepared. Keep in mind you may need to add additional olive oil during the frying process and between each batch. For two medium large eggplants I use a 9x12 baking pan. Lightly coat the bottom of the baking pan with tomato sauce (For two layers) add half of the fried eggplant evenly over the bottom of the pan, cover with about 2 cups of the sauce, sprinkle about ½ cup of the Parmigiano cheese evenly over the sauce, and sprinkle about the same amount of the Mozzarelle over the top. Do another layer starting with eggplant, sauce, parm and Mozzarella cheese. End with a layer of tomato sauce, the Mozzarella and Parm cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35-45 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden brown. For ease of cutting, allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.

Serves

9 - 12

Additional Comments

Ground chicken or turkey can be substituted for ground beef. Substitute the ground beef for Italian Sausage or add to the ground beef.

Eggplant Parmesan