Carmelina Classic Eggplant Parmesan

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Servings:

6-8

Quantity

Ingredients

2 tablespoons

Extra virgin olive oil

1 cup

Sweet onion, small dice

1/2 teaspoon

Red chili pepper flakes

2 teaspoons

Fresh garlic, chopped

2, 28 ounce cans

Carmelina ‘e…San Marzano® Italian Chopped Tomatoes in Puree

1 teaspoon

Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon

Black pepper

1/4 cup

Fresh basil, chiffonade

2 pounds

Large eggplant

4 each

Eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon

Kosher salt

3/4 cup

All-purpose flour

1/2 cup

Sunflower oil

1 pound

Fresh Buffalo mozzarella, cubed, moisture drained

1/2 cup

Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup

Fresh basil, torn

For the Sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and red chili pepper flakes, and sauté for 5 minutes to soften and release aroma. Add garlic and continue to cook another minute; stirring occasionally so not to burn. Add Carmelina ‘e…San Marzano® Italian Chopped Tomatoes in Puree, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Bring sauce to a gentle simmer and stir to combine. Continue to simmer sauce for 30 minutes to reduce, stir in basil, check seasonings and remove from heat. Set aside.
For the Eggplant: Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice eggplants into 1/4-inch thick rounds. In a shallow bowl, mix eggs with 1 teaspoon of salt. Dip eggplant slices into flour; shaking off any excess. Set the eggplants onto a sheet pan. Once all of the eggplant slices have been dusted with flour, dip into the egg batter one at a time, removing any excess batter before setting onto a sheet pan.
Using a large non-stick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil over medium-high heat. Carefully add eggplant slices to the pan without overcrowding them. Fry the eggplant for a minute on each side, or until a nice golden crust is achieved. Repeat this procedure until all of the eggplant has been cooked, adding extra oil to the pan if needed. Using tongs remove the cooked eggplant from the pan and onto a sheet pan with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
To assemble, spoon 2 cups of sauce into a 13” X 9” oven-safe baking dish or casserole. Spread the sauce evenly onto the bottom of the pan. Add a first layer of eggplant over the sauce. Ladle sauce evenly over the eggplant, and sprinkle a handful of cubed mozzarella and 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese over the top. Finish layer with some fresh torn basil. Spoon more sauce over the top and repeat with a second layer of eggplant, cheeses and basil. Repeat with a third layer until all ingredients are used.
Bake Carmelina Classic Eggplant Parmesan in the oven for 30 minutes until the top is a nice golden brown and the cheese is melted. Remove eggplant parmesan from the oven and let it rest in a warm place for at least 15 minutes to properly set before serving. Mangia bene and enjoy!

Recipe created by Corporate Executive Chef Giacomo Pagano on behalf of Mangia, Inc. ™