Classic Eggplant Parmesan (2024)

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Instructions

1. For the sauce, heata medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and heat until the oil movesfreely in the pan, another 30 seconds. Add the garlic and onion to the oil andcook stirring often until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the passata.Nestle the basil sprigs in the sauce and season with the salt. Bring the sauceto a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirringoccasionally until the sauce is slightly reduced and the flavors have infusedinto the tomato, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard the basil sprigs. Setaside.
2. For the eggplant,lay the eggplant slices on a paper towel lined tray. Season the slices evenlyon both sides with 2 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Allow the slices to sit with thesalt for 20 minutes. Dry the slices very well with a clean dish towel.
3. Prepare a breadingstation by putting the rice flour in shallow bowl, the eggs in another and the pulsedgluten free panko in another. Season the flour and the eggs each with 1/4teaspoon salt. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add enough oil tocoat the bottom of the pan by 1/2 an inch. Dredge an eggplant slice in theflour and then the egg shaking off excess as you go. Lightly bread the eggplantin the panko and place the slice in the hot oil. Cook on the first side untilthe breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip the eggplant and cookuntil evenly browned all over, an additional 2 minutes. Remove the crispyeggplant to a wire rack. Continue with the remaining eggplant adding more oil tothe pan as needed and skimming the oil for any dark breadcrumbs.
4. Meanwhile preheatthe oven to 400 degrees F.
5. Drizzle a 9 x 13baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Coat the bottom of the pan with 1/2 cupof the sauce. Shingle half of the eggplant over the bottom of the pan. Spoonabout 2 cups of sauce over the eggplant and sprinkle the basil leaves over thesauce. The eggplant does not have to be perfectly covered in the sauce. Tearhalf of the sliced mozzarella over the basil and sprinkle with half of theparmesan. Continue with the remaining eggplant, 1 3/4 cups of sauce leaving afew of the crispy eggplant pieces poking out for crunch and the remainingmozzarella and parmesan. Bake until the dish is bubbly around the edges and thecheese is melted and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven andallow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving with additional sauceif desired.

Nutrition