Eggplant parmesan was the first Italian recipe I learned to make after marrying my husband over 17 years ago. I always loved and admired the way his grandmother Rosie rallied family and friends around her table for a delicious Italian meal. After a not-so-good first attempt, Rosie taught me how to master eggplant parmesan. Removing the skin of the eggplant makes all the difference. Although the skin is a great source of fiber and nutrients, there is still plenty of vitamins and minerals in the vegetable making it nutritious and easy to digest.
I couldn't help but make Rosie's recipe a little healthier by substituting extra virgin olive oil for butter and eliminating salt since there's a perfect amount of seasoning coming from the breadcrumbs, tomato sauce, cheese, and fresh basil.
I hope you enjoy this melt-in-your-mouth eggplant parmesan as much as we do!
Ingredients
(6-8 servings)
- 3 medium eggplants
- 1 ½ c Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 6-8 egg whites
- ½ c+ extra virgin olive oil
- 1 jar tomato basil sauce
- 2 c fresh mozzarella cheese
- ½ c fresh basil, finely chopped
Directions
1. Cut the skin off of each eggplant and slice into ¼ inch rounds.
2. Place the eggplant on double layer paper towels for 30-45 minutes. This helps to absorb excess water from the eggplant.
3. Lightly coat the bottom of a baking dish with olive oil.
4. Set oven to 350 degrees.
5. In a large sauté pan, warm olive oil over medium heat.
6. Evenly coat eggplant slices with egg whites and breadcrumbs. Sauté both sides of the eggplant until golden brown (approximately 1-2 minutes).
7. Use a small ladle to coat the bottom of the baking dish with a thin layer of tomato sauce.
8. Layer sautéed eggplant, sauce, and cheese.
9. Repeat the above step and bake for 40 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.
10. Allow baked eggplant to cool for 5-10 minutes.
11. Garnish with fresh basil and serve with a side of whole grain rigatoni.
~Healthy Happy Eating!
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