Name: Eggplant Parmesan with Fresh Basil and Smoked Mozzarella
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 5
Ingredients: Unpeeled purple eggplant, trimmed and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices - 1 large; Fine sea salt, or as needed - 1 teaspoon; Eggs - 2; Whole milk - 1 tablespoon; Italian-seasoned bread crumbs, or more as needed - 1 cup; Extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed - ¾ cup; Prepared marinara sauce (such as De Cecco®) - 1 (24 ounce) jar; Fresh basil, coarsely chopped - 1 bunch; Smoked mozzarella cheese, very thinly sliced - 1 (8 ounce) package; Freshly grated Parmesan cheese - ½ cup

Ingredients for - Eggplant Parmesan with Fresh Basil and Smoked Mozzarella

1. Unpeeled purple eggplant, trimmed and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices 1 large

2. Fine sea salt, or as needed 1 teaspoon

3. Eggs 2

4. Whole milk 1 tablespoon

5. Italian-seasoned bread crumbs, or more as needed 1 cup

6. Extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed ¾ cup

7. Prepared marinara sauce (such as De Cecco®) 1 (24 ounce) jar

8. Fresh basil, coarsely chopped 1 bunch

9. Smoked mozzarella cheese, very thinly sliced 1 (8 ounce) package

10. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese ½ cup

How to cook deliciously - Eggplant Parmesan with Fresh Basil and Smoked Mozzarella

1 . Stage

Line a plate with a paper towel; place a layer of 2 or 3 slices of eggplant onto the towel. Sprinkle eggplant with sea salt. Repeat layers of eggplant sprinkled with salt until all eggplant slices are stacked. Place 2 paper towels onto the stack and place a plate on top of the towels. Lay a heavy book or can of food onto the plate to squeeze out moisture. Allow to drip for 20 minutes to 2 hours. Rinse and pat dry.

2 . Stage

Beat eggs with milk in a shallow bowl. Place bread crumbs into a separate bowl. Dip eggplant slices in the egg mixture and gently press into the crumbs to coat; set aside.

3 . Stage

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish.

4 . Stage

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; fry eggplant slices in the hot oil in small batches until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

5 . Stage

Pour about 1/4 cup of marinara sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish and arrange a layer of eggplant slices to cover the sauce. Scatter basil and a few slices of smoked mozzarella cheese over eggplant; repeat layers, ending with a layer of sauce on top. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.

6 . Stage

Bake in the preheated oven until heated through and the cheese has melted, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.