This eggplant parm recipe is baked, not fried, so it keeps things on the lighter side but doesn't skimp on flavor! Also, there are no eggs, so this is a great option for those little ones who are sensitive to eggs.
Ingredients:
2 eggplants
Salt & Pepper
2 jars of Rao's marinara sauce
1 lb of fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
1 cup of parmesan, grated
1 cup of fresh basil, chopped
Panko Crumb Mixture:
1 cup of Panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Slice the eggplant into 1/4" wide circles, I use a mandolin for preciseness and consistency.
Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle salt generously over both sides of the eggplant slices and place them on the wire rack. Let them sit for 40 minutes to 1 hour.
Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels and then season with freshly cracked pepper and roast on parchment paper-lined baking sheets for 20 minutes or until tender.
While your eggplant is cooking, mix up your Panko breadcrumb mixture in a small bowl
Assemble the eggplant parmesan by spreading 1 cup of sauce in a 9-by-13 inch baking dish. Arrange the eggplant slices in the dish over the sauce, cover the eggplant with sauce, then add slices of mozzarella to each eggplant round. Scatter fresh basil and grated parmesan over the dish. Next, sprinkle the Panko crumb mixture over each round. Repeat layers until you have run out of ingredients, similar to a lasagna.
Cover the dish and bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve over any type of pasta or zoodles, and enjoy!