Eggplant Parmigiana

(Published originally on 12/29/2009. Updated 10/10/2023)

The Italian classic, as featured in Fine Cooking. Instead of using big, chewy chunks of eggplant, this recipe uses thin slices of peeled eggplant. Furthermore, there is no breading the eggplant before frying them. I had never even tried eggplant parmigiana before, but after trying this recipe, I am a fan who will be making it again and again. (A possible variation, as featured on Throwdown with Bobby Flay, is to coat the fried eggplants with some of the tomato sauce.)

Ingredients
For the eggplant:

• 3 large eggplants (about 6 small ones)
• Kosher salt
• 3 cups olive oil (or a blend of olive and canola oils)

For the sauce:

• 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 carrot, chopped finely
• 1 stalk celery, chopped finely
• 1/2 onion, chopped finely
• 3 large cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
• Three 28-oz. cans diced tomatoes (preferably San Marzano), drained
• Kosher salt
• 18 large fresh basil leaves, torn in half

For assembling:

• 12 oz. fresh mozzarella, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups lightly packed freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Instructions

1. Salt the eggplant. Peel the eggplant and cut each crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Lay out all the eggplant slices and sprinkle generously with salt. Lay on a sheet pan and cover with paper towel, and repeat layers like this. Let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. The salt will draw out water and reduce the eggplant’s ability to absorb oil.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the 3 Tbs. oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onion and cook for 15-20 minutes until caramelized. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and barely golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and 1 tsp. salt. Raise the heat to medium high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break down into a sauce, 30 to 35 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until you have a thick, chunky sauce, 5 to 10 minutes more. (Too much liquid in the sauce will make the finished dish watery.) Turn off the heat, stir in the basil leaves, and blend with an immersion blender.
3. Rise the eggplant under water quickly. Dry the eggplant by lining a large plate with a paper towel and setting a few slices on it. Top with another paper towel and layer on a few more slices. Repeat until you run out of slices.
4. Fry the eggplant. Add the olive oil to a 3- or 4-quart saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. When the oil reaches 375°F, add as many eggplant slices as will fit comfortably in a single layer. Cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 2 minutes on the first side and 1 minute more on the second. Working quickly, pick up each slice with a slotted spoon and press the back of another large spoon against the slice to squeeze out as much oil as possible. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat until all the slices are fried, layering the fried eggplant between paper towels.
5. Assemble the dish. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F. Layer about one-third of the eggplant slices so they overlap slightly on the bottom of a 13x9-inch (or similar size) baking dish. Spread about one-third of the tomato sauce in a very thin layer over the eggplant. Evenly sprinkle about half of the mozzarella and 1/3 cup of the Parmigiano over the tomato sauce. Make another layer with one-third of the eggplant, one-third of the tomato sauce, the remaining mozzarella, and 1/3 cup Parmigiano. Make one last layer with the remaining eggplant, tomato sauce, and Parmigiano.
   
6. Bake until the cheese has melted evenly and the top is bubbly, with browned edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.
   

Serves 4-6. Eat them eggplants.