To make this dish, you should first spray the eggplant slices with salt and allow to dry for 45 minutes to an hour. Once the eggplant is drained, you should brush it with a damp paper towel. Next, you should prepare the breadcrumbs. Then, you should combine the eggs and milk. Now, you should dip the eggplant slices into the mixture and place them on a large baking sheet.
Salting eggplant before cooking
Salting eggplant before cooking eggplant parmesan is an essential step for this recipe. It draws out moisture and helps to retain the eggplant’s flavor. Spread the eggplant on a clean surface and gently press to squeeze out excess liquid. Ensure the eggplant is a heavy, firm weight and avoid wrinkles and soft spots.
Salting eggplant before cooking ensures that the flavor and seasoning penetrates the entire eggplant. It also helps to make the slices and pieces more tender. It can also reduce the amount of oil that is absorbed into the food. Whether you choose a fresh or a dried eggplant, this cooking tip will help you achieve the desired results.
During the cooking process, you should wash the eggplant thoroughly in cold water. After washing it, drain the excess liquid. Next, slice it into desired shapes. To prepare the brine, boil two quarts of water and add a tablespoon of kosher salt. Next, place the eggplant in the brine. You can also place a plate on top to weigh down the slices. After an hour or so, remove the eggplant and let it dry.
To cook the eggplant, slice it into rounds or cubes. Salt them before placing them in the pan. You can also place a weighted bowl over the eggplant to help it release moisture. After that, pour in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, minced garlic, and tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Once the eggplant is soft and has released enough liquid, you can season the eggplant with salt and chopped basil.
The eggplant should be cut into slices about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. After salting, let them rest for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a plate. Next, dredging is necessary. You can use three bowls for this step: one with flour, another with egg and one with breadcrumbs. After the eggplant is dredged, you can lightly pack it with breadcrumbs. When you are ready to cook, grease a sheet pan with oil and bake it in a preheated oven.
The process of making eggplant parmesan is similar to cooking chicken cutlets, but you should be gentle with the eggplant. Ensure that you salt the eggplant prior to cooking it, because it is delicate and can easily develop a bitter flavor if not properly treated. The eggplant should weigh at least 8 ounces. You can use fresh or dried breadcrumbs, but for a finer texture, use Japanese-style panko breadcrumbs instead.
If you are cooking an eggplant casserole for a large crowd, you can prepare it ahead of time. To do this, just rinse the eggplant and salt it the night before. When it is time to bake, transfer it to a baking dish. It should stand for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Baking
To make baking eggplant parmesan easy, you can use a food processor. Simply add 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan and pulse until a fine breadcrumb coating is formed. Then, place the eggplant slices on a baking sheet, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. If you’d like a crispier topping, flip the slices and bake for another five to 10 minutes. Then, remove them from the oven and serve!
Begin by preparing the dish by coating a 2 quart baking dish with vegetable cooking spray. Spread 1 cup of sauce in the bottom of the dish, then layer half the eggplant on top of the sauce. Top the eggplant with a layer of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, and then spread the remaining sauce over the top. Bake for twenty to twenty-five minutes until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly. Sprinkle with extra Parmesan, if desired.
To make this recipe healthy, make sure to salt the eggplant before cooking. This will help remove the bitter notes in the eggplant and make it tastier. If possible, use fresh breadcrumbs, but if you’re short on time, you can use regular dried breadcrumbs. You can also use Japanese-style panko breadcrumbs, which are coarser. Once you’ve seasoned the eggplant, place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or non-stick cooking spray.
After preparing the tomato sauce, add garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Next, layer the eggplant slices on top, and then top them with grated Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle the top with the rest of the Parmesan and basil, and bake for about twenty minutes.
To make baking eggplant parmesan easy, you can buy pre-grated Parmesan cheese, which is ready for use. You can also use store-bought marinara sauce. To make the dish more convenient, you can use pre-shredded mozzarella, but it is better to use fresh.
The eggplant should be rinsed and wiped dry, and then seasoned with salt and pepper. After that, dip it into the beaten egg. The excess egg should drip back into the bowl. Lastly, apply breadcrumbs to the eggplant. You can also place them on a wire rack before baking.
Baked eggplant parmesan can be stored in the refrigerator for about three to five days. It can also be frozen, though it will change its texture after thawing. However, you should not reheat frozen eggplant parmesan. It can lose its crisp texture after reheating.
For this recipe, you should cut the eggplants into slices that are approximately 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick. This will help them brown faster in the oven. Once you have made the eggplant parmesan, you can use a Caesar salad, steamed broccoli, or balsamic mushrooms for your sides.
The basic ingredients for this recipe are fresh eggplant, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and Italian seasoning. Then, you’ll layer the eggplant on the breadcrumb mixture and top it with a homemade tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.
Storage of leftovers
After making the eggplant parmesan recipe, the slices can be cooled and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. When it comes time to reheat them, you can microwave them or reheat them in the oven. Make sure to place them in a baking dish that is covered with foil.
The baked eggplant parmesan will keep for about 3 days. You can also freeze them for up to a month. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator and reheat them in the oven or microwave. Eggplant parmesan is a meatless main dish that’s perfect for vegetarians. It’s made by layering eggplant slices in marinara sauce, then topping with cheese. Then, bake the eggplant until the cheese melts and the eggplant is golden brown.
To make this dish easier, you can prepare the eggplant and marinara the day before. Salt and rinse them before using them. This will make the eggplants crispy and moist. In addition, you can also pre-cook the eggplant and bake the eggplant rounds ahead of time. After preparing all the ingredients, you can simply assemble the casserole.
If you have leftover eggplant from this recipe, it will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can reheat individual portions in the microwave, air fryer, or toaster oven. The marinara sauce needs 48 ounces. To make the dish, Gabrielle Hamilton adapted her Italian ex-mother-in-law’s original recipe.
Another way to store leftover eggplant is to freeze it. The eggplant should be completely cool before you freeze it. Then, you can add the sauce, basil, and cheese. You can then pull out the eggplant when you need it. You can repeat the process as many times as necessary.
If you have leftover eggplant from this recipe, you can place them in the refrigerator in a single layer. When you are ready to assemble the eggplants, you can cover them to keep them warm. Or, you can store them in an airtight container for two to three days. If you don’t want to eat the entire eggplant at once, you can reheat the leftovers in an Air fryer at 380F.
This eggplant parmesan recipe makes enough for four servings. For a larger batch, you can freeze the leftovers. Keeping leftover eggplant parmesan in the refrigerator is an easy way to save money. You can reheat it later if you want to make more eggplant parmesan.
