Eggplant Parmesan
Marcella Hazan’s Eggplant Parmesan layers fried eggplant with drained tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, parmesan, and oregano for a lighter Southern Italian-style version of the classic dish.
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants
- 2 cups canned peeled tomatoes, drained and cut up
- 1 whole buffalo mozzarella ball, sliced thin (approx. ¾ lb)
- 5 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1½ tsp dried oregano OR 8-10 fresh basil leaves
- 2½ tbsp butter
- vegetable oil and flour for frying (see Recipe Notes)
- salt
Instructions
- Before beginning, fry your eggplants in flour, as described in Recipe Notes below. Allow them to cool on the paper towel so they are easy to handle during assembly.
- Preheat the oven to 400°.
- Line the bottom and sides of a deep baking dish (approx. 7x11") with butter.
- Place eggplant slices in a layer on the bottom of the pan.
- Top with cut up canned tomatoes.
- Add a pinch of dried oregano (or torn basil leaves) and salt, then add a layer of mozzarella and some grated Parmesan cheese.
- Continue with these layers until you have used up the ingredients. The top layer of the dish should be eggplant.
- Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese on the top and dot with small amounts of butter.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, remove from the oven and press the back of a wooden spoon to the dish, checking for excess moisture. If there is, drain it off with the spoon and return the dish to the oven for another 15-20 minutes.
- Allow the dish to rest for at least 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
To fry eggplant for this dish:
- Peel the eggplant and thinly slice it lengthwise into pieces no thicker than 1/2".
- Place the slices upright in a colander with a dish underneath to catch the drippings. Sprinkle with salt and allow it to stand at least 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, spread them on a paper towel to remove any additional liquid.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet, using enough to come up 3/4" on the side.
- Test the heat of the oil with an end of the eggplant to see if it sizzles.
- If it is ready, dredge only the slices that will be fried immediately (2-3) in flour on both sides and place them into the oil.
- Cook to golden brown on one side, then flip and cook the other. I love using these metal tweezer tongs to stay safely away from the hot oil.
- When both sides are done, carefully remove them and place them on a paper towel-lined plate or cooling rack to drain.
- Repeat the process until all of the eggplant has been fried.
- Allow to cool before building the Eggplant Parmesan layers.