Budget Eggplant Aubergine Parmigiana Recipes

EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• For the tomato sauce: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and season with salt and red pepper flakes. Cook until the onions become translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sugar and the canned tomatoes. Use a wooden spoon to break up some of the whole tomatoes and cook 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring from time to time. Taste for seasoning, the tomatoes should be fairly broken down and the flavors coming together. Cook for another few minutes if the tomatoes still taste like they need a little more time to break down. Set aside to cool.
• For the eggplant (this step is optional, leave it out if you have limited time): Arrange the eggplant rounds in a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt on both sides of each slice and allow it to sit for about 1 hour. Salting it draws out the liquid and bitter flavor. After an hour, rinse with cold water and dry them thoroughly with a kitchen towel.
• Put the flour in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk and season with salt and pepper. In a third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the oregano and fresh thyme leaves and season with salt and pepper. Dip each eggplant slice in the flour and shake off any excess. Then, dip in the egg mixture, and finally in the breadcrumbs. Make sure to coat both sides of each slice of eggplant. Arrange them in single layers on the baking sheets.
• In a large skillet, pour enough oil to accumulate about 1/2-inch in the bottom. Heat the oil until it begins to smoke lightly (alternatively, test with a thermometer and wait until the oil registers between 380 degrees F and 400 degrees F). Use a pair of kitchen tongs to add a single layer of the eggplant to the pan. Cook them until they are golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the oil and transfer to a baking sheet fitted with a kitchen towel so the eggplant can drain as the others cook. Season lightly with salt. Take care to reheat the oil back up to temperature before adding another batch of slices to the pan.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• To assemble: In a 9 by 13-inch flameproof baking dish, spoon about 1/4 of the tomato sauce on the bottom. Top with a layer of the fried eggplant; the eggplant slices can overlap slightly. Top with about 1/3 of the mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with about 1/4 of the Parmesan and provolone cheeses. Top with a layer of torn basil leaves. Spoon sauce and repeat the layering 2 more times to make 3 layers. End with the remaining mozzarella. Carefully press the layers down firmly into the dish once assembled. Place the dish in the top part of the oven and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 35 to 40 minutes. For extra browning, put the dish under the broiler for a minute or two just before serving to get an extra brown cheesy top. I always nibble on a bit of that before sharing it with my friends!

TRADITIONAL EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• In a colander, toss eggplant with 2 teaspoons salt. Let stand 30 minutes. Arrange slices in a single layer on a dish towel and roll up tightly to extract excess water.
• Meanwhile, in a medium pot, bring tomatoes and garlic to a boil. Reduce heat and cook at a rapid simmer until thickened, 30 minutes.
• In a shallow dish, combine breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup Parmesan; season with salt and pepper. Put flour and eggs in two more shallow dishes. Coat eggplant in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in egg, letting excess drip off. Coat with breadcrumbs.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large straight-sided skillet, heat oil over medium-high (a few breadcrumbs should sizzle when added). In batches, fry eggplant until golden brown and tender, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet.
• Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with half the eggplant, overlapping slices slightly, 2 cups sauce, and half the mozzarella. Repeat with remaining eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella, then sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

EASY EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• Trim the eggplants and cut them into 1/4 inch thick slices.
• Layer the slices in a colander, sprinkling each layer with salt.
• Let drain for 30 minutes.
• Rinse the eggplant and pat dry.
• Pour about 1/2 inch oil a large deep skillet and heat over medium heat.
• Fry the slices, in a single layer, turning once, until browned on both sides.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce in a shallow baking dish.
• Make a layer of eggplant slices, overlapping them slightly.
• Top with a layer of mozzarella, another layer of sauce, and a sprinkle of grated cheese.
• Repeat the layering, ending with eggplant, sauce, and grated cheese.
• Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the mozzarella is melted.
• Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C.
• Dust the eggplant with flour, dip in egg and panfry in a non-stick pan in oil.
• Drain well on paper towels.
• Heat a little oil in a large non-stick pan and gently sauté onion and garlic. Add pasta sauce, wine, pesto and pepper. Bring to the boil and boil for a few minutes to allow the liquid to reduce a little. Season to taste.
• Put some of the sauce in the base of an ovenproof casserole dish, top with a layer of eggplant, and then mozzarella and sauce. Repeat this process, finishing with a thick layer of sauce and a sprinkling of parmesan.
• Cook in the oven for about 20 minutes. If the dish has been pre-prepared, you will need to cook it for longer, probably 30-40 minutes.
• Serve with a simple green salad.

BUDGET EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• Using a vegetable peeler, peel random strips of skin from the eggplants; save the skins for use in my Vegetable Stock Recipe #135453; slice the eggplants thinly.
• Heat the oil in a large - preferably non-stick - pan. Make sure that the oil is hot (but not so hot that the crumbed eggplant slices burn) before adding each batch of crumbed eggplant slices so that the surface is immediately sealed; eggplant is notorious for absorbing oil and will do just that if the oil is too cool and you'll end up using a very large quantity of oil!
• Mix the minced garlic and dried basil with the breadcrumbs.
• Coat the eggplant slices in flour; shake off the excess; dip in the egg, then in the breadcrumb mixture; shallow-fry in batches, until lightly browned; drain on absorbent paper.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced/400°F/gas mark 6.
• Mix cheeses together and mix in the walnuts (if using).
• Spread about one-third of the pasta sauce over the base of a well-greased 2.5 litre (10-cup) ovenproof dish; top with about one-third of the eggplant, one-third of the cheeses and one-third of the oregano; repeat layering.
• Bake, covered, for 20 minutes; uncover (and add chopped bacon, if using); bake for 10 minutes or until the surface is lightly browned (and the bacon, if using, is cooked and crisped).

EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) PARMIGIANA

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350F (180 deg C) (Gas Mark 4).
• Lightly grease a baking dish.
• Wash the eggplants and slice lengthways into thin strips.
• Heat 1 tablepoon of the olive oil in a saucepan and saute the onion.
• Add the tinned tomatoes to the saute.
• Then add the tomato puree and the herbs.
• Stir well and bring the sauce to a simmer.
• Cover the pan and cook over a low heat for 30 minutes.
• Place the flour in a small bowl and dip the eggplant strips into it so that each piece is well coated.
• Heat the remaining olive oil in a frying pan and saute the eggplant until lightly browned.
• (Add more oil if necessary).
• Pour some tomato sauce into the baking dish and then a layer of egg plants. Continue layering the sauce and eggplant strips until they are all used up.
• Arrange the cheese slices over the top layer.
• Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the topping is golden brown.
• Serve immediately.

PERFECT EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) PARMESAN SECRETS

Steps:

• Wash eggplant, dry, trim ends.
• Slice to 1/4 inch rounds.
• Sprinkle salt on both sides.
• Spread out in strainer over sink, or in bowl for 1 hour to drain moisture.
• Rinse well and pat dry with paper towels.
• Put flour in flat dish, eggs in bowl, breadcrumbs in separate flat dish.
• Coat both sides of slices in flour.
• Dip in egg.
• Coat in breadcrumbs.
• Stack in separate dish.
• Heat oil in pan.
• Brown slices in oil a few at a time, may have to change oil if it gets too brown.
• Drain on papertowels (I just do this in layers).
• In a 9x13 baking dish, spread a couple of tablespoons of sauce on the bottom.
• Place a layer of eggplant (can be overlapped), spread sauce, sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan.
• Repeat layers till done. Takes me three layers, so divide all items in three.
• Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes until cheese melts.

EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA WITH MARGHERITA® PEPPERONI

Steps:

• Slice each eggplant lengthwise into slices about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
• In a large skillet, add olive oil (approximately 1/4 inch deep) and heat for frying.
• In a bowl, mix eggs and water together. On a large plate, mix grated Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese and 4 cups seasoned breadcrumbs together. Dip eggplant into the egg mixture, then the breadcrumb mixture. Place breaded eggplant slices into skillet and fry until golden brown, rotating once if necessary. Remove from skillet.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In an 8 by 12-inch baking dish, place the 4 largest eggplant slices, evenly spaced apart from each other. Over each slice, spread 1/4 cup of tomato sauce and sprinkle with a teaspoon of basil. Place one slice of mozzarella and 3 slices pepperoni over each slice and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon grated Parmigiano. Place the smaller slices of eggplant over each of the disks and repeat with tomato sauce, basil, pepperoni and the 2 cheeses. Repeat the layering again until all the ingredients are used.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs over the top of the eggplant dish, and bake uncovered until the cheese is melted and the tops turn light brown, about 20 minutes.