Grandma's Italian Eggplant Parmigiana

Grandma's Italian eggplant Parmigiana recipe combines layers of eggplant, three types of cheese, and tomato sauce and baked until oh-so good and gooey.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 50 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
• Calories: 569 Calories

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
• 3 tablespoons sea salt, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons water, room temperature
• 2 cups freshly grated Pecorino-Romano cheese, divided
• 40 ounces Italian-style tomato sauce
• 30 ounces freshly grated mozzarella cheese
• 0.5 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Step 2

Arrange eggplant slices on paper towels; sprinkle with salt to draw out moisture. Cover with paper towels. Let sit for 8 hours to overnight.

Step 3

Heat 2 inches oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Line baking sheets with paper towels.

Step 4

Meanwhile, beat eggs and water together in a small bowl; season with salt and black pepper and set aside.

Step 5

Place flour in a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag; season with salt and black pepper. Shake the bag to mix. Add 6 eggplant slices to the bag; seal and shake until eggplant coated.

Step 6

Remove eggplant from flour and shake off excess; dip into egg mixture, turning to ensure both sides are coated. Lift up so excess egg mixture drips back into the bowl.

Step 7

Lower eggplant carefully into the hot oil; 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. Cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Repeat breading and frying process with remaining eggplant slices.

Step 8

Pour a small amount of tomato sauce into a 9x13-inch baking dish to cover bottom.

Step 9

Place 1/3 eggplant slices over sauce, slightly overlapping. Sprinkle 1/3 each of 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 layers twice more for a total of 3 layers.

Step 10

Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly, about 40 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes to set.