Saturday, December 27, 2003

I don’t use a recipe.  I used to just always watch my mom makes hers...so here goes…

2-3 medium/large eggplants
3-4 cups bread crumbs (I use plain, sometimes italian flavored, doesn’t matter)
1-2 cups flour
2-3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
oil for frying (I use corn oil)
large jar of tomatoe sauce (I use Prego)
1 lb. mozarella cheese (shredded)

extra flavor (parmesan, oregano, basil, garlic, parsley)

Take skin off one eggplant (I do one at a time, to avoid them turning brown) and then cut into circles, about a 1/4 thick.

Mix in one bowl, eggs and milk.  In another bowl, flour and bread crumbs.  Take one circle of eggplant at a time and dip into egg/milk mixture, coat both sides, then dip into breadcrumb/flour mixture, and bread both sides.  Continue to do this until all eggplant circles are gone.  Then take the next eggplant, take off skin, and repeat, until all your eggplant is breaded. (you may need to add more egg or milk depending on how much eggplant you have, same goes with the breadcrumb and flour mixture.  I always end up making “more” breadcrumb/flour mixture later.)

Coat bottom of a large frying pan with a good amount of oil and heat on medium/med-high.  Fry eggplant.  (this is what takes the effin longest) I usually change the oil after each whole eggplant is fried.  So, if I have 3 eggplants, I change the oil three times.)

Heat oven to 350-375 -

Once all the eggplant is fried, get out large baking dish (I use a 9X11)

Coat bottom with a nice thin layer of tomatoe sauce, then on top of sauce, layer fried eggplant, then layer on top of eggplant, shredded mozarella cheese.  Then sprinkle some “extra flavor” (this is up to you.  I use those particular things, but you can edit that as you wish. It’s all a matter of preference.  Sean loves him some garlic, so my eggplant parm tends to be quite garlicy).  Then sauce.  Repeat. Eggplant, cheese, extra flavor, sauce, eggplant, cheese, extra flavor...until there is no more left or you have no more room in the dish.

Cover baking dish with tinfoil and cook in oven for 30-35 minutes or until bubbling (my mom used to remove the tinfoil for the last 5 minutes or so, and the top would get all nice and toasty brown.  mmmmm :9)

{via Mel}