Eggplant Parm

Eggplant Parm: Submitted by: Kimmo Vallema | Date Added: 20 Dec 2020 Ingredients:

1 large eggplant, sliced into 3/8-inch (1-cm) slices

Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste

1 pound (455 g) ripe, red heirloom tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 yellow onion, diced

1/4 cup (10 g) fresh basil, finely chopped

1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon Sucanat or sugar

2 slices turkey bacon, optional, for richer flavor

1/2 cup (120 ml) red wine

1 tablespoon (15 ml) Marsala wine

1 egg

1/2 cup (120 ml) milk (low-fat cow’s or plain, unsweetened soy or almond)

1/2 cup (63 g) whole-wheat pastry flour

2 cups (300 g) grated part-skim mozzarella

1/4 cup (25 g) fresh-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1/4 cup (25 g) fresh-grated Pecorino Romano

Cooking Instructions:

Lightly salt the sliced eggplant and lay the slices in a dish between clean dish towels to remove some of the eggplant’s natural liquids. Allow the eggplant to release liquid and drain at room temperature for up to 3 hours, or in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.

To prepare the sauce, preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C, or gas mark 8).
Place the tomatoes and onion in a 9 × 12-inch (23 × 30-cm) roasting pan. Add the basil, 2 1/2 tablespoons (35 ml) of the olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste, and gently toss to coat. Roast for 20 minutes, turning twice while cooking. After 20 minutes, increase the heat to broil and cook just until the tomatoes begin to brown. Remove from the oven and transfer the mixture to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomato paste, Sucanat, bacon, and wines. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated or been absorbed, and the sauce is medium thick. Remove the bacon and discard. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Whisk the egg and milk together in a pie plate (or shallow bowl). Whisk the flour and salt and pepper, to taste, together in a second pie plate.

Heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons (25 ml) olive oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat.

Dredge the sliced eggplant in the egg-and-milk mixture, then lightly coat the tops and bottoms with the flour mixture. Sauté the eggplant on both sides until lightly browned. Remove the eggplant from the pan and place on paper towels to remove excess oil.

To bake, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C, or gas mark 5).

Coat the bottom of a 9 × 12-inch (23 × 30-cm) baking dish with a thin layer of sauce. Make layers of eggplant and mozzarella with 1 tablespoon (5 g) each of Parmigiano-Reggiano and Romano, and sauce to cover. Top with the remaining cheeses. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top layer of cheese is melted and lightly browned.