VEGETARIAN

Eggplant Parmesan

⏳ Time

1 hour 20 minutes

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

Eggplant Parmesan is a classic Italian dish that features layers of breaded and fried eggplant, marinara sauce, and melted cheese. This comforting meal is often served with a side of pasta or a fresh salad, making it a favorite in many American homes and restaurants.

Ingredients

Eggplants - 3 pieces
Olive Oil - to taste
Onion - 1 head
Garlic - 1 clove
Dried Rosemary - 1 tablespoon
Tomatoes - 2 lbs
Ground Black Pepper - to taste
Champagne Vinegar - 1 tablespoon
Fresh basil leaves - 1.1 oz
Parmesan Cheese - 7.1 oz
Breadcrumbs - 5 teaspoons
Fresh basil leaves - 0.4 oz

Step by Step guide

Step 1

Trim the stems off the eggplants and slice them into 1 cm thick rounds. Heat a grill pan (or a regular steel pan) until hot. Grill the eggplant slices one at a time until they are beautifully golden brown.

Step 2

Meanwhile, make a small incision in the skin of the tomatoes and immerse them in boiling water for 40 seconds. Transfer to ice water for 30 seconds. Peel off the skin and seeds, and dice the flesh into small cubes.

Step 3

Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a deep skillet and sauté the finely chopped onion, garlic, and dried oregano for 10 minutes, until the onion is soft and the garlic turns golden.

Step 4

Add the tomatoes to the skillet with the onions and oregano. Stir well, cover with a lid, and let it simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.

Step 5

Once the tomato sauce has reduced, season with salt and pepper, then add wine vinegar and finely chopped basil. You can blend the sauce until smooth or leave it as is.

Step 6

Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce in a baking dish, then grate Parmesan cheese on top. Next, layer the eggplants. Repeat the layers of tomato sauce, cheese, and eggplants until all ingredients are used up.

Step 7

The final layer – tomato sauce and cheese – should be sprinkled with a mixture of breadcrumbs, olive oil, and oregano leaves. Bake in the oven at 190°C for half an hour. The dish can be served hot or cold.