Eggplant Parmesan
Eggplant Parmesan was one of the first baked dishes that I tried here in the US. It’s mainly because I felt so adventurous the first time I went grocery shopping, that I grabbed one of almost all vegetables that I could find. Either way, I’m glad I met eggplant parmesan because now, for me, it is comfort food. It’s where I’m not looking at a recipe, I wing the measurements, and quite literally play with the food.
Honestly, it depends on my mood for the day. If I’m feeling flirty or mischievous, I add more tomatoes and make them tangy, but if it a cold day outside and I feel like getting under the rug and watching an episode of the Office, I slice up more jalapenos. But most days, it’s roasted garlic. Who says no to that? More garlic in everything, I say. I also end up using a lot of fresh herbs. My poor basil plant is usually plucked clean by the time that I’m done with the dish.
The only time that I’ve ever had an eggplant back in India was in Baingan Bartha, a curry that my mom used to make with onion, garlic, tomato paste, and roasted eggplant. We normally have it with chapatis, some sliced onions, and a wedge of lime. I remember, one evening I came home to see her holding an eggplant over the stove. The smell that filled the kitchen was so tantalizing and as I stepped closer, I heard the skin crackling as it turned brown. My eyes lit up as I watched the flames lick skin of the eggplant, making it softer and for a minute, I forgot my hate for everything in the brinjal family, especially the texture that gave me the heebie-da-jeebies. Even today, they still do a little, but my love for the taste of eggplant is more.
For the eggplant Parmesan, you start with slicing the eggplant about 1 cm thick. Since the eggplant takes a long time to cook, it goes into the oven twice. Once you slice them, sprinkle them with salt and let them to rest. This makes them sweat all the moisture away. Wipe that out and apply the salt, pepper, and dried herbs mixture.
Use the time you get while the eggplant bakes to make your sauce. In a pan, bring to heat olive oil and couple of crushed garlic (this is in case you are roasting them as a whole.) When you heat the oil with the crushed garlic already in it, it infuses the oil with flavour. Add in the onions and saute until they become translucent. I let them get a little brown and get a nutty flavour. Add in the roasted tomatoes, salt to taste and the rest is honestly up to you. Layer it like a lasagna: a little sauce to start off- eggplant slices- sauce- cheese- eggplant slices- sauce. To give a lovely crunch, add panko to the last layer of cheese and bake it for 30 minutes.
A simple veggie bake to warm up your soul.
Cut the eggplant in 1 cm wide slices. Sprinkle them with salt and place them between a layer of clean cloth or kitchen towels. Place something heavy on them to weigh them down. This is to help dab all the moisture from the eggplant. Leave it aside for 15 minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 400F.
Rub olive oil on the tomatoes and the whole bulb of garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Wrap the garlic in a small piece of foil. Roast them for about 30 minutes.
In a small cup, mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, and dried herbs. Rub this onto the eggplant slices and bake it for about 20 minutes at 400 F.
Once the tomatoes and garlic are done, bring to heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chopped onions and saute until they become translucent. Add the tomatoes and garlic. You can blitz the tomatoes, but I usually prefer to add them as they are and crush them with the ladle.
Add the chopped jalapenos, salt to taste, freshly ground pepper, freshly chopped basil, and anything else your heart desires. Let this sauce simmer until you start the assembly.
In a 9x9 inch pan spread some sauce on the bottom. One layer eggplant slices, sauce, and shredded cheese. One more layer of eggplant and sauce. For the last layer of cheese, mix in the panko breadcrumbs.
Bake at 400F for 30 minutes and once done, allow it to cool down and set for 15 minutes.
Ingredients
Directions
Cut the eggplant in 1 cm wide slices. Sprinkle them with salt and place them between a layer of clean cloth or kitchen towels. Place something heavy on them to weigh them down. This is to help dab all the moisture from the eggplant. Leave it aside for 15 minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 400F.
Rub olive oil on the tomatoes and the whole bulb of garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Wrap the garlic in a small piece of foil. Roast them for about 30 minutes.
In a small cup, mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, and dried herbs. Rub this onto the eggplant slices and bake it for about 20 minutes at 400 F.
Once the tomatoes and garlic are done, bring to heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chopped onions and saute until they become translucent. Add the tomatoes and garlic. You can blitz the tomatoes, but I usually prefer to add them as they are and crush them with the ladle.
Add the chopped jalapenos, salt to taste, freshly ground pepper, freshly chopped basil, and anything else your heart desires. Let this sauce simmer until you start the assembly.
In a 9x9 inch pan spread some sauce on the bottom. One layer eggplant slices, sauce, and shredded cheese. One more layer of eggplant and sauce. For the last layer of cheese, mix in the panko breadcrumbs.
Bake at 400F for 30 minutes and once done, allow it to cool down and set for 15 minutes.
How many tomatoes for the sauce?? I am looking forward to making this dish!
Hey Nancy, So glad to hear you are going to try this dish! Can’t wait to hear how it turns out. I normally use 3 tomatoes.