Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

Yes, I have been a bad, bad girl and I am ignoring my blog. Sorry. With my back out and returning to work, I have been too busy or too tired to do a thing. But I still cook.

This week, it's Eggplant Parmigiana. I was watching the Food Network, shock oh shock. Yes, I am a Food Network addict! I was watching Alex Guarnaschelli's show: My Day Off. She was making Eggplant Parmesan. I never ever think to make Eggplant Parmesan although it's quite delish. I made it like once in my life and I think it turned out pretty well but it has been a long time.

I really like watching Alex, she cooks really good food and I have found her recipes are pretty easy. This one was easy and it was perfect for my willy nilly style of cooking.

I started with 2 large onions. Now I wasn't sure about this because I hate eating big chunks of cooked onions. I love love love raw onions but cooked onions turn me off. Don't get me wrong, almost everything I cook has onions but I usually chop them up pretty small so they disappear. But her recipe called for chunky onions so I went ahead and cut them pretty big.

After sauteing them with 6 cloves of garlic, salt, pepper and dried oregano. I added 2 cans of whole tomatoes. I let all this reduce down. I had run out of dried basil, which I consider a crime and I should be sent to jail for letting my spice cabinet go without! But oh well.

I was always told when using eggplant to cut it and then salt it so it drains some of its salt. Alex didn't roll that way. She just cut up her eggplant and fried it so I followed her lead. I took 2 medium sized eggplants and cut them up into about 1/2 inch slices.

She coated the eggplant slices with flour. I added some salt and pepper to my flour. Then she had an egg wash with milk and then bread crumbs. I had some Italian bread crumbs so I used those. Grab the eggplant and dip into the flour, then put it into the egg wash and then the bread crumbs. Make sure to coat it completely.

Once coated, you fry them up. Yes, I know frying isn't healthy but it has to be done. Once you have all the eggplant fried you start putting together the dish by making an almost eggplant lasagna.

Sauce on the bottom of the baking dish, eggplant on top, add provolone cheese, mozzarella cheese and then some grated Parmesan. You can actually add any cheeses you like as well. This isn't rocket science peeps. Just keep layering it until you run out.

Because I left the room to make lunch, I didn't catch the back end of Alex's show. So I had to willy nilly guess how long to put the eggplant into the oven. If I have no idea, I always go with a 350 degree oven and leave it in until it is bubbly and browned.

I decided to serve it with a side of spaghetti with some leftover sauce. It was freaking delicious! I forgot how much I really like Eggplant Parmesan. It is a meatless meal and it can be made lighter than how I made it. You can probably get away with not frying the eggplant and using less cheese. But overall, it was an easy dish to make and it is filling. The leftovers were also really good!!

Remember, to pop on over to Latina on a Mission and check out all the other yummy Sabroso Saturday recipes! Delish!!!