Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Eggplant Parmesan




Martha’s recipe for baked eggplant parm is delicious, and easy to make to boot.

We paired the dish with a bottle of Candoni Wines' Candoni D.O.C.G., and a good hunk of bakery fresh bread. After the wine was finished, we wrapped the meal up with a fresh salad tossed with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

All this was done al fresco -- of course.

I am full, sleepy, and a tiny bit drunk: perhaps the definition of a very good meal.

Baked-Eggplant Parmesan

Olive oil for baking sheets
2 large eggs
¾ c. plain dry breadcrumbs
¾ c. finely grated Parmesan, plus 2 tablespoons for topping
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. dried basil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 large eggplants (2 1/2 pounds total), peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
6 cups (48 ounces) store-bought chunky tomato sauce or Chunky Tomato Sauce (see recipe below)
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375-degrees F. Brush two baking sheets with oil; set aside. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and 2 tablespoons water. In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs, 3/4 cup Parmesan, oregano, and basil; season with salt and pepper.

Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture, coating well; place on baking sheets. Bake until golden brown on bottom, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn slices; continue baking until browned on other side, 20 to 25 minutes more.

Remove from oven; raise oven heat to 400-degrees F. Spread 2 cups sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange half the eggplant in dish; cover with 2 cups sauce, then 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat with remaining eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 8.

Chunky Tomato Sauce
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (28 ounces each) whole tomatoes
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic, stirring frequently, until translucent, 2 to 4 minutes. Crush tomatoes into pan; add oregano. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Grade: A

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello Hello :o)

Love stopping by your blog for good recipes and when I came across this one me and my Mom made it for lunch! It was absolutely delicious!
Thanks and keep coming with these great ideas!

Laura Rebecca said...

Jessica, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! The leftovers reheat pretty well in the microwave, too.