Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients:
2 eggplants, peeled and thinly sliced thin about ¼”
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups, Italian seasoned bread crumbs
16 ounces, mozzarella chees, shredded (divided)
½ cup, grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
½ teaspoon basil (dried or fresh)
Kosher salt
Instructions:
1. Sprinkle eggplant slices with kosher salt on both sides and let stand for 30 minutes.
2. Make Tomato Sauce below.
3. Rinse eggplant slices and pat dry with paper towel.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
5. Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in breadcrumbs. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes on each side.
6. In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish spread tomato sauce on the bottom of the dish. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with the cheeses. Sprinkle with basil on the top.
7. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 35 minutes uncovered until golden brown.
Tomato & Basil Sauce
Ingredients:
8 pounds tomatoes (24 medium tomatoes or 64 small plum tomatoes), peeled, seeded and diced
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
1 large onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
1. Blanch tomatoes in hot water for about 30 seconds to slip the peel off. Remove seeds and dice.
2. In a large skillet, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until onions are translucent.
3. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Let simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Add basil.
Alternatively, you can just quarter the unpeeled, unseeded tomatoes, cook as normal, then pass the whole thing through a food mill. This results in a completely smooth sauce. The food mill removes all the skins and seeds. If you want it chunky, however, you’ll have to use the first procedure.
