Ingredients
- 2 large eggplants (note, over ripe eggplant has a lot of seeds)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil to sauté onion
- minced garlic according to taste
- make your own special receipt sauce, we use crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chili and chive diced tomatoes, and tomato paste along with onion, oregano pepper and a dash of sugar.
- Freshly ground black pepper
- sufficient breadcrumbs for dredging
- 1 1/4 cups grated parmesan cheese, divided between layers and top
- all-purpose flour as needed
- 6 large eggs, beaten (more if needed) for dredging process
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil for top of eggplant slices prior to baking.
Direction
Make your sauce:
Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Then add tomato ingredients according to desired taste.
Grated parmesan cheese (fresh):
Prepare eggplants:
Peel the eggplants leaving the stem on so you can hold easily when ready to slice with mandolin. Slice the eggplants with mandolin and then place the sliced eggplants in water to keep moist prior to dredging step.
Dredge the eggplant in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs (set up dishes ahead of time for preparation).
After the dredging process, and the slices are on the parchment paper, drizzle a little oil over the top of each piece prior to placing in oven for 17 min. at 360 degrees F. Take out , turn and place in oven for an additional 17 min.
Spread the 1/4 tomato sauce over the bottom of casserole dish, sprinkle with grated cheese, then place the first layer of eggplant round covering the sauce on the bottom of the dish. Repeat the process for two additional layers finishing by placing the remaining sauce on the top. Note, there should not be more than three layers. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese on top and place in a 350 degree F oven for 35 to 40 min.
Final results of baking process, and set aside for a minimum of 30 min prior to eating.
You can tell when done as sides break away slightly and the cheese is melted. Also you may notice some boiling of the sauce on the sides while in oven.