Eggplant Parmesan

So full disclosure, this was my first ever attempt at making Eggplant Parmesan but it definitely won’t be my last considering how delicious it turned out!

Remember at Meals and Memories with Nonno, Francesco is the head chef and I'm generally more of the writer, social media manager and chef in training.

I was a little nervous when it came to frying the eggplant because I don’t generally fry any of my food, but it was a lot easier than I thought it would be! Just be mindful of your heat to help prevent burning yourself with hot oil.

This Eggplant Parmesan recipe comes directly from page 62 in Meals and Memories with Nonno and was something Nonno cooked and ate regularly during his 101 years of life.

I doubled the recipe to meal prep lunches for the next few days for my husband and myself, but I am posting the original recipe from the cookbook.

Also note that I used a big grater for the cheese which turned out fine, but I would try using a smaller one next time, so the cheese is finer.

We used homemade bread crumbs (great way to make use of stale bread!) but store bought bread crumbs work fine as well.

You can serve this with pasta, on bread or as is!

Don't forget to check out Meals and Memories with Nonno for more Italian family recipes!

You will need:

-Tomato Sauce (preferably home made)

-1 eggplant

-Dredging flour

-1/4 teaspoon salt

-1 egg (beaten)

-Olive oil for frying

-Bread crumbs (1-2 cups)

-Grating cheese (2 cups)

-1/2 cup parsley and basil (Optional)

-Pinch of salt for finished batch

NOTE: This is an individual serving but simply modify the recipe to accommodate your needs.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) In a separate bowl, mix bread crumbs, grating cheese, salt, parsley and basil.

2) Slice eggplant into 1/8-1/4" pieces.

3) Coat eggplant in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Place on a plate while you prepare the rest.

4) In a frying pan, add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan on to a medium-high heat. 5) Lay eggplant into pan (facing away from you) as oil is hot. Generally a pan can hold 6-8 pieces.

6) After a few minutes, check one until it's turning brown then flip with fork or tongs.

7) When the other side is cooking, place a brown bag (or paper towels) over a plate to drain the excess oil.

8) Add a pinch of salt while hot.

Now the eggplant is finished and ready to eat. If you'd like to add more flavor, this is a great next step.

1) Heat oven to 200-250

2) Add tomato sauce to an oven proof dish and place eggplants on top.

3) Layer with more tomato sauce and a dusting of grating cheese. Repeat for 3 layers max.

4) Keep warm until ready to serve.

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