Heirloom Italian eggplant parm combines layers of eggplant, three types of cheese, and tomato sauce and is baked until the cheese is deliciously gooey.
Preparation Time
30 mins
Cooking Time
50 mins
Total Time
1 hr 20 mins
Calories
569 Calories
Recipe Instructions
Step 1
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Step 2
Place flour into a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag. Add salt and pepper; shake the bag to mix. Place 6 eggplant slices into the bag, seal, and shake to coat.
Step 3
Heat 2 inches of oil over medium-high heat in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Line baking sheets with paper towels to drain eggplants after frying.
Step 4
Shake excess flour from eggplant slices and place into egg mixture, turning to ensure both sides are coated. Allow excess egg mixture to drip off.
Step 5
Pour a small amount of tomato sauce into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan to cover.
Step 6
Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes to set.
Step 7
Lay eggplant slices on top of paper towels and sprinkle with salt to draw out moisture. Cover with additional paper towels. Let sit for 8 hours to overnight.
Step 8
Beat eggs and water together in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 9
Fry until slightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the paper towel-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle each slice with 1 tablespoon Pecorino Romano cheese. Repeat process until all eggplant slices are fried. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
Step 10
Place 1/3 eggplant slices over sauce, slightly overlapping them. Sprinkle 1/3 remaining Pecorino-Romano cheese and Parmesan cheese evenly on top. Cover with a light layer of sauce. Sprinkle 1/3 mozzarella cheese over sauce. Repeat for a total of 3 layers.
Ingredients
5 eggs, room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tablespoon ground black pepper, or to taste
2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 medium Italian eggplants, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
