She Strengthens

Elevate Your Dinner Game with Crispy Eggplant Parmesan

In the heart of Italy’s Campania region, a culinary gem awaits – buffalo milk mozzarella, the star of many iconic dishes, including the beloved melanzane alla parmigiana, or eggplant recipes.

The Secret to Crunchy Eggplant

To achieve the perfect crunch, we turn to panko breadcrumbs, a coarse Japanese-style breadcrumb available in most grocery stores. For an added layer of flavor, we use Japanese eggplant, prized for its thin skin and sweet, delicate taste. If you can’t find Japanese eggplant, don’t worry – globe eggplant will work beautifully, just be sure to adjust the baking dish size accordingly.

Game Plan

When selecting your eggplants, aim for about a pound total, which should yield four to six servings. The key is to have an equal number of eggplant slices, mozzarella slices, and basil leaves. Don’t be afraid to adjust the number of slices based on the eggplant’s size.

Easy and Delicious

This recipe yields four to six servings and takes approximately one hour to prepare. With its ease of preparation and impressive presentation, it’s perfect for a weeknight dinner or special occasion.

Ingredients

• 24 (1/2-inch-thick) slices Japanese eggplant (from about 2 medium eggplants)
• Kosher salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups panko
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Olive oil, for frying
• 1 1/2 cups warm Basic Tomato Sauce (see recipe intro), plus more for serving
• 24 medium whole basil leaves
• 24 thinly sliced pieces of fresh mozzarella (about 8 ounces total)

Instructions

1. Preheat and Prepare
   Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the broiler to low. Place the eggplant slices in a colander set in the sink or over a bowl, sprinkle generously with salt, and set aside to drain for about 5 minutes.
2. Bread the Eggplant
   Place the flour in a wide, shallow dish and season generously with salt and pepper. Combine the eggs and milk in another shallow dish and set aside; mix the panko and cheese together in a third shallow dish. Remove the eggplant slices from the colander and pat dry with paper towels. Bread the eggplant by coating a few slices in the flour mixture, shaking off excess flour, dipping into the egg mixture, and pressing into the panko mixture.
3. Fry the Eggplant
   Fill a large, straight-sided skillet or frying pan with 1 inch of olive oil. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350°F on a deep-fat thermometer. Add about a third of the eggplant slices and fry on one side until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip and fry the other side for another 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and repeat with the remaining eggplant.
4. Assemble and Serve
   Pour the warmed tomato sauce over the bottom of an 8-by-8-inch baking dish. Shingle 1 eggplant slice, 1 basil leaf, and 1 mozzarella slice over the tomato sauce, repeating until all of the ingredients are arranged in the baking dish. Place in the oven and broil until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and speckled with gold, about 5 to 7 minutes. Serve immediately with extra tomato sauce on the side.

Beverage Pairing

Feudi di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo, Italy, pairs perfectly with this dish. The roundness and medium body of the wine complement the eggplant and cheese, while its acidity and minerality provide a refreshing contrast.