The Best Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

The Best Eggplant Parmesan Recipe photo by Taste of Home

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“Truly delicious! I love eggplant and have many recipes, but this one's my favorite. The cheeses and seasonings make this dish unforgettable.” —Dottie Kilpatrick, Wilmington, North Carolina

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The Best Eggplant Parmesan Recipe

Prep: 1-1/4 hours Bake: 35 min. + standing

Yield: 16 Servings

75 35 110

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cans (28 ounces each) crushed tomatoes
1 cup pitted ripe olives, chopped
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves or 1 tablespoon dried basil
3 tablespoons capers, drained
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon pepper
EGGPLANT:
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs, beaten
3 cups dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 small eggplants (about 1 pound each), peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices
1 cup olive oil
CHEESE:
2 eggs, beaten
2 cartons (15 ounces each) ricotta cheese
1-1/4 cups shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves or 2 tablespoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 cups (32 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook garlic in oil 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, olives, basil, capers, pepper flakes and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 45-60 minutes or until thickened.
Meanwhile, for eggplant, place flour and eggs in separate shallow bowls. In another bowl, combine bread crumbs, garlic powder and oregano. Dip eggplant in flour, eggs, then bread crumb mixture.
In a large skillet, cook eggplant in batches in oil for 5 minutes on each side or until tender. Drain on paper towels. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, basil and pepper.
Preheat oven to 350°. In each of two greased 13x9-in. baking dishes, layer 1-1/2 cups tomato sauce, four eggplant slices, 1 cup ricotta mixture and 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Sprinkle each with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, 35-40 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Yield: 2 casseroles (8 servings each).

Nutritional Facts 1 piece equals 562 calories, 38 g fat (14 g saturated fat), 138 mg cholesterol, 778 mg sodium, 31 g carbohydrate, 7 g fiber, 29 g protein.

Originally published as The Best Eggplant Parmesan in Taste of Home October/November 2010, p36