Eggplant Parmesan

Tender eggplant slices coated in a thick, concentrated tomato sauce. The baked cheese forms a golden crust that cracks under the knife, revealing a creamy interior.

• Prep time: 30 min
• Cook time: 45 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 1356
• Protein: 26 g
• Carbs: 43 g
• Fat: 121 g

Ingredients

• 1200 g Eggplant (aubergine) ( in 1cm rounds )
• 800 g Round tomato ( diced )
• 100 g Parmesan cheese ( grated )
• 250 g Buffalo milk mozzarella ("di bufala") ( diced )
• 100 g Wheat flour ( for dredging )
• 1 piece Onion ( finely diced )
• 2 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 50 ml Extra virgin olive oil ( for the sauce )
• 1000 ml Peanut oil ( for frying )
• 10 g Basil ( chopped )
• 1 pinch Fleur de sel
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground

Instructions

1. Sweating the eggplants

   Slice eggplants into 1 cm rounds. Arrange on a tray and sprinkle with fleur-de-sel. Let sweat for 20 minutes to draw out bitter water, then pat firmly dry with a cloth.

2. Reducing the tomato sauce

   In a pan, sweat diced onion and minced garlic in olive oil. Add diced tomatoes. Simmer on low heat until the sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon. Stir in basil at the end.

3. Frying the slices

   Dredge each eggplant slice in flour. Fry in hot peanut oil until golden brown and supple. Drain on absorbent paper.

4. Assembling the dish

   In a baking dish, layer sauce, eggplants, grated parmesan, and diced mozzarella. Repeat the layers, finishing with a generous layer of cheese.

5. Browning

   Bake at 180°C for 25 minutes. The dish is ready when the cheese bubbles at the edges and the crust is dark brown and crispy.

Chef's tips

• Don't skip the salt sweating; it ensures the eggplant is tender and doesn't release water during baking.
• The tomato sauce must be heavily reduced, almost jam-like, so it doesn't make the cheese soggy.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the fridge. Reheats perfectly in the oven to restore the crispiness of the cheese.