My Eggplant Parmigiano recipe has been up for over two years. Since that time, I’ve become convinced that the oft required procedure of salting eggplant slices and setting them aside for 45 minutes to “sweat” has no culinary
value. It just over salts the eggplant and lengthens preparation time. So of late, when making eggplant dishes, I have skipped the salt and sweat routine and I am still alive and well without it.
Here is “weeknight” eggplant Parmigiano recipe using unsweated eggplant, a commercial marinara sauce laced with sauteed shallots and garlic, Italian sausage, but no ground beef and no mozzarella. (1.5 hours less prep time)
EGGPLANT PARMIGIANO II (Quickie Recipe)
See abbreviations, if needed
2 eggplants, sliced ¼ inch thick
1C AP flour
2 eggs, beaten
8oz Panko or other bread crumbs
1 C grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2 medium spicy Italian sausage links
2T EVOO
2 cloves garlic, pureed
2 shallots or small onion, diced
24 oz bottle of prepared marinara sauce
FOR THE EGGPLANT:
1. Set up an “English Breading Station”: (three pie plates or paper plates: a, b, and c)
a. flour and S/P
b. egg wash-2 eggs
c. Panko and a 1/4 C of the Parmigiano Reggiano
2. One at a time: Flour an eggplant slice, then transfer it to the egg wash plate, then coat it thoroughly in the Panko plate
3. Place all slices on a sheet pan with parchment paper. Or on a sheet pan greased with EVOO
4. Bake the eggplant in a preheated 400F oven for 30 minutes, turning the pieces at 15 minutes, and then remove the crispy eggplant but leave the oven on
FOR THE SAUCE:
5. Place sausages in pan of water and BTB, cool, peel and slice into bite sized pieces
6. In a large evaseé like pan, sauté the diced shallots and garlic in EVOO, to translucent and then the sausage
7. To the evaseé, add the marinara sauce and BTB, then reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes
TO ASSEMBLE:
8. Spread some sauce in the bottom of large buttered baking dish
9. Layer in half of the eggplant slices
10. Add more sauce over the eggplant
11. Layer in remaining eggplant and some more sauce but don’t drown this top layer
12. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmigiano Reggiano
13. Bake at 400F until bubbling, about 15 minutes
14. Brown top under broiler
NOTE: The crispy eggplant takes a little more time, but it’s
worth it.
