Mary Berg's Baked Eggplant Parm

Name: Mary Berg's Baked Eggplant Parm
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: ----For the sauce----; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 small red onion; Salt & pepper; 3 garlic cloves, chopped; 1 (796ml) can whole tomatoes; 2 sprigs basil; Pinch sugar, optional; Crushed red pepper flakes, optional; ----For the eggplant----; 2–3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 ½ cups panko; ½ cup ground Parmigiano Reggiano cheese; 1 teaspoon dry Italian seasoning; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; Salt & pepper; 2 eggs; 4 tablespoons mayonnaise; 2 medium eggplants; 80g thinly sliced or grated mozzarella; Basil

Mary Berg November 6, 2024

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Difficulty

Intermediary

Portions

4-6

Preparation Time

20 minutes

Cooking Time

40 minutes

Ingredients

----For the sauce----
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion
Salt & pepper
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (796ml) can whole tomatoes
2 sprigs basil
Pinch sugar, optional
Crushed red pepper flakes, optional
----For the eggplant----
2–3 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ cups panko
½ cup ground Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 teaspoon dry Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Salt & pepper
2 eggs
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 medium eggplants
80g thinly sliced or grated mozzarella
Basil

Directions

1. Heat your oven to 375ºF and grease a large sheet pan with olive oil or non-stick cooking spray. For easy cleanup, feel free to use parchment or non-stick aluminum foil but do not skip greasing the pan. This added fat will lead to crispier eggplant parm.
2. Place a saucepan over medium heat and add in the oil and onion. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 to 8 minutes until lightly softened and golden. Stir in the garlic and continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes then carefully add in the tomatoes. Add in the basil sprigs, cover the pot with an off-kilter lid, turn the heat down to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Using the side of a spoon, carefully break apart the tomatoes, season with sugar and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired, cover the pot, and turn the heat down to low to keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, for the eggplant, place a skillet over medium heat. Add in the oil and panko and toast, stirring frequently, for a few minutes until golden brown. Transfer the toasted panko to a shallow dish to cool to room temperature. Add in the Parmigiano Reggiano, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder, and season with salt and pepper.
4. In a separate shallow dish, beat together the eggs and mayo.
5. Trim and slice the eggplant into roughly 1cm thick rounds. Working with one round at a time, dunk the eggplant into the egg mixture then press into the panko mixture and transfer onto the prepared sheet pan. Continue until all the eggplant has been coated.
6. Bake the eggplant for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown on top. Remove the pan from the oven and add about a tablespoon of the sauce to the top of each round of eggplant. Top with a slice or scattering of cheese and return to the oven for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.
7. To serve, spoon some sauce onto each plate and top with a few slices of eggplant parm. Scatter with fresh basil and a bit more Parmigiano-Reggiano.

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