Eggplant Parmesan Recipe Chef John Food

EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Arrange the eggplant slices on several baking sheets and sprinkle generously all over with kosher salt. Set aside to let the bitter juices weep from the eggplant, about 1 hour.
• Transfer the eggplant to a colander in the sink, and rinse well under cold running water. Transfer eggplant to a work surface and blot very dry with paper towels.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, breadcrumbs, oregano, thyme, and season with pepper.
• Place the flour in a medium lipped plate or bowl. In another medium bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. Dredge an eggplant slice in the flour, then dip it in the egg, and finally dredge it in the breadcrumb mixture. Shake off any excess breading and transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.
• In a large straight-sided skillet, pour the oil to a depth of 1/2 inch. Heat the oil over medium heat until it registers 400 degrees F on a deep frying thermometer. (The oil must be heated to 400 degrees F. so that the breaded eggplant, when added, will drop the temperature of the oil to the proper frying temperature of 375 degrees F.)
• Working in small batches, fry the eggplant slices, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Using tongs, transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and season with salt to taste. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly brush a 15 x 10- x 2-inch-baking dish with olive oil. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with 1/3 of the marinara sauce and arrange half of the eggplant over the sauce. Cover the eggplant with another 1/3 of the sauce. Scatter half of the Parmesan and half of the mozzarella over the sauced eggplant. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, sauce, Parmesan, and mozzarella. Bake until hot and just beginning to brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and garlic, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the herb sprigs and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
• Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the salt and season with pepper to taste. Use immediately, store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
• Yield: about 3 1/2 cups
• Copyright 2001 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved

EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• For the tomato sauce: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and season with salt and red pepper flakes. Cook until the onions become translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sugar and the canned tomatoes. Use a wooden spoon to break up some of the whole tomatoes and cook 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring from time to time. Taste for seasoning, the tomatoes should be fairly broken down and the flavors coming together. Cook for another few minutes if the tomatoes still taste like they need a little more time to break down. Set aside to cool.
• For the eggplant (this step is optional, leave it out if you have limited time): Arrange the eggplant rounds in a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt on both sides of each slice and allow it to sit for about 1 hour. Salting it draws out the liquid and bitter flavor. After an hour, rinse with cold water and dry them thoroughly with a kitchen towel.
• Put the flour in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk and season with salt and pepper. In a third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the oregano and fresh thyme leaves and season with salt and pepper. Dip each eggplant slice in the flour and shake off any excess. Then, dip in the egg mixture, and finally in the breadcrumbs. Make sure to coat both sides of each slice of eggplant. Arrange them in single layers on the baking sheets.
• In a large skillet, pour enough oil to accumulate about 1/2-inch in the bottom. Heat the oil until it begins to smoke lightly (alternatively, test with a thermometer and wait until the oil registers between 380 degrees F and 400 degrees F). Use a pair of kitchen tongs to add a single layer of the eggplant to the pan. Cook them until they are golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the oil and transfer to a baking sheet fitted with a kitchen towel so the eggplant can drain as the others cook. Season lightly with salt. Take care to reheat the oil back up to temperature before adding another batch of slices to the pan.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• To assemble: In a 9 by 13-inch flameproof baking dish, spoon about 1/4 of the tomato sauce on the bottom. Top with a layer of the fried eggplant; the eggplant slices can overlap slightly. Top with about 1/3 of the mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with about 1/4 of the Parmesan and provolone cheeses. Top with a layer of torn basil leaves. Spoon sauce and repeat the layering 2 more times to make 3 layers. End with the remaining mozzarella. Carefully press the layers down firmly into the dish once assembled. Place the dish in the top part of the oven and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. For extra browning, put the dish under the broiler for a minute or two just before serving to get an extra brown cheesy top. I always nibble on a bit of that before sharing it with my friends!

ROASTED EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and arrange three racks evenly spaced.
• Lay the eggplant in one layer on three sheet pans and brush both sides with olive oil, using all the oil. Sprinkle with the oregano, crushing it lightly in your hands, then sprinkle with 1 1/2 tablespoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the slices and rotate the pans in the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, until tender. Leave the oven at 400 degrees F.
• In a 10 by 14 by 2-inch ceramic baking dish, spread a third of the marinara sauce. Arrange a third of the eggplant on top in one layer. Scatter a third of the basil, a third of the mozzarella, a third of the goat cheese, and a third of the Parmesan on top. Repeat twice, starting with the marinara and ending with the Parmesan, making sure each layer is evenly distributed.
• For the topping, place the bread crumbs, garlic, and basil in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the 1/4 cup olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt and pulse to moisten the crumbs. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the dish.
• Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown. Allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Marinara Sauce: Trim root ends of the garlic cloves, then smash with the flat side of a knife. Peel off skins and set aside. In a 4-quart Dutch oven over high heat, add oil, followed by garlic. When the garlic begins to sizzle, add a pinch of salt. Stir and toast the garlic until deep golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Add red pepper flakes (optional, for heat), reduce temperature to low, and add tomatoes. Increase heat to medium, add two pinches of salt and two pinches of sugar, and bring sauce to a simmer, 10-12 minutes. When simmering, taste and adjust for seasoning. Turn off heat.In a large bowl, add two large sprigs of basil, then pour the sauce over the basil. Set aside to steep while preparing the eggplant. (Makes 2 quarts. Once cool, remove and discard basil; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4-5 days or in the freezer up to 3 months.)
• Breading Mixture: In a large bowl, add seasoned breadcrumbs, oregano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino, and a big pinch of salt. Stir to mix well and set aside. In another large bowl, whisk eggs; season with a generous amount of black pepper and a few pinches of salt. Add flour to a large bowl.
• Prepare eggplant: Use a vegetable peeler to peel the eggplant; discard peel. Cut away the stem ends and discard. Use a mandoline to slice eggplant lengthwise into ⅛-inch thick slices; for safety, make the last few slices with a chef's knife.
• Arrange bowls side by side for dredging: flour, eggs, and breading mixture. First dredge each eggplant slice in flour, shaking off excess. Then coat with the beaten egg, followed by the breading mixture. Set breaded eggplant on a rack fitted over a baking sheet until ready to fry.
• Fry eggplant cutlets: In a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add ⅓ cup oil. (Adjust amount as needed to have about ¼ inch of oil in the pan.) Test the oil's temperature by adding a few drops of water: if the water sizzles right away, the oil is ready for frying. Gently lay the eggplant into the oil facing away from you to avoid getting splattered. Let fry undisturbed, about 2 minutes, adjusting heat to maintain the temperature.Once the first side of the eggplant is golden brown, use tongs to gently flip (facing away from you again) and fry the other side until golden brown and delicious-or "GBD," as Chef Tacinelli puts it- about 1 more minute. As they finish frying, arrange eggplant cutlets in an even layer to drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. (Once the sheet pan is full, cover with more paper towels and place freshly fried eggplant on top.) Fry remaining eggplant, adding more oil as needed and keeping the temperature steady.
• Assembly: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove basil and garlic cloves from tomato sauce and discard. In another bowl, combine the Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino cheeses.Spread 1 cup sauce across the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange eggplant cutlets in a single even layer, tearing some into smaller pieces as necessary to fill the gaps. Press the eggplant layer gently into the sauce. (Do this each time you add an eggplant layer.) Next, spread ⅓ cup sauce over the eggplant, followed by ¼ cup Parmigiano-Pecorino mixture. In even layers, add eggplant, ⅓ cup sauce, ¼ cup Parmigiano-Pecorino, ¾ cup mozzarella, and half of the basil leaves. Then add another layer of eggplant, sauce, and Parmigiano-Pecorino. Finally, layer the remaining eggplant, sauce, Parmigiano-Pecorino, basil, and mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake, 45 minutes. (Here are the layers once more, from the bottom up: 1 C sauce, eggplant, ⅓ C sauce, ¼ C Parmigiano-Pecorino, eggplant, ⅓ C sauce, ¼ C Parmigiano-Pecorino, ¾ C mozzarella, half the basil leaves, eggplant, ⅓ C sauce, ¼ C Parmigiano-Pecorino, remaining eggplant, ⅓ C sauce, ¼ C Parmigiano-Pecorino, remaining basil, ¾ C mozzarella.)
• After 45 minutes, remove Eggplant Parmesan from oven and remove foil. Bake another 10 minutes, uncovered, until golden brown and bubbly. Let rest 20-30 minutes, then cut into squares with a chef's knife and plate with a spatula. Chef Tacinelli likes to add a ladle of hot marinara just before serving.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN II

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in bread crumbs. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes on each side.
• In a 9x13 inch baking dish spread spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with the cheeses. Sprinkle basil on top.
• Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Slice the eggplants into twelve 1/2-inch-thick slices (total), then stack them on top of each other and cut off the eggplant skins. (Cut your slices first, then the skin, so that you don't cut too much eggplant flesh off.)
• Beat the eggs in a bowl and put the eggplant slices in the egg wash. Preheat 2 saute pans over high heat with 1/2 cup olive oil in each pan. Take the eggplant slices from the egg wash and saute 6 slices in each pan until golden brown on each side. Once you flip the slices over, poke a couple of holes with a fork in the eggplant. Then hold the eggplant to one side of the pan and drain the oil out of each pan. Add the garlic and basil to each pan. Add 2 ounces white wine to each pan. Then add 12 ounces marinara sauce to each pan. Turn down the heat to a simmer. Turn the eggplant slices in the saute pans, making sure the sauce is on the bottom and the eggplant remains on top. Top each slice with 1 slice of provolone. Add 1 tablespoon Parmesan to each eggplant slice. Add a pinch of chopped parsley to each pan. Then cover to melt everything together. Then plate. When plating, take the eggplant out first, making sure the cheese stays on top. Surround the plated eggplant with the remaining sauce in the pan.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Cut 5 crosswise slices from center area of each eggplant, about 1/2-inch thick, to total 10 slices. Peel and dice remaining pieces of eggplant.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until oil is very hot. Sprinkle eggplant slices lightly with a pinch of salt and cook in hot skillet in batches until slightly softened, about 3 minutes per side. Set eggplant slices aside on paper towels.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in skillet and cook garlic for about 10 seconds; add diced eggplant and season with a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes. Saute until eggplant is softened, about 5 minutes. Pour in marinara sauce and water. Turn heat to medium-low and cook until eggplant is tender, about 15 minutes; stir occasionally. If sauce gets too thick, add a little more water.
• Combine ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, pepperjack cheese, a pinch of salt, and a pinch black pepper in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Spread about 2 tablespoons cheese mixture over each eggplant slice. Fold eggplant slices in half to enclose the cheese mixture.
• Spread about half the sauce into an 8x8-inch baking dish. Lay folded eggplant slices in a single layer into the dish. Spread remaining sauce over eggplant slices.
• Combine bread crumbs, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a bowl; mix thoroughly. Spread crumb mixture over eggplant casserole.
• Bake in the preheated oven until casserole is bubbling and crumbs are browned, 35 to 40 minutes.

EXCELLENT EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Peel the eggplant, and cut it in half length-wise.
• Cut into 1/4" slices.
• Coat eggplant slices in flour, dip in egg, and then coat with bread crumbs.
• Continue with all slices piling onto a plate.
• Pour oil (I use vegetable oil) into a saute pan using enough to submerse eggplant slices.
• Fry until lightly browned on each side. Remove to plate.
• Pour enough Marinara sauce to cover bottom of 9x13" dish with a thin layer.
• Add eggplant in a single layer.
• Pour additional Marinara sauce to cover top of eggplant. Add about 1 & 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese, and sprinkle 1/2 cup of Romano cheese over.
• Continue with the next layer of sauce, eggplant, sauce, and the remainder of the cheese.
• Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Dip eggplant into beaten egg, then into a mixture of bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.
• Brown in oil on both sides and transfer onto plate with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
• In remaining oil, brown onion, then add tomato paste, hot water, and seasonings.
• Cook for 5 minutes.
• Pour a third of the sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
• Put a layer of eggplant over the sauce, and put on 1/3 the cheese, more parmesan if wanted, 1/3 more sauce, and then repeat, making sure you end with sauce.
• Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 and a half hours.

JAMIE OLIVER'S EGGPLANT PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Brush both sides of eggplant slices with oil, and place in a single layer on two or more baking sheets. Bake until undersides are golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes, then turn and bake until other sides are lightly browned. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees.
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and add onion. Sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and dried oregano and sauté another 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and their juices, breaking up whole tomatoes with your hands. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add vinegar, basil and salt and pepper to taste. Into a 9-by-9-inch, 10-by-5-inch or 10-by-6-inch baking pan, spoon a small amount of tomato sauce, then add a thin scattering of parmigiano, then a single layer of eggplant. Repeat until all ingredients are used, ending with a little sauce and a sprinkling of parmigiano. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and oregano, if using, with just enough olive oil to moisten. Sprinkle on top. If desired, recipe can be made to this point and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before baking.
• Bake until eggplant mixture is bubbly and center is hot, 30 to 45 minutes depending on size of pan and thickness of layers. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Recipe can also be reheated.