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Delicious Eggplant Parmesan with layers of eggplant, marinara sauce, and cheese

Eggplant Parmesan

A comforting Italian dish featuring layers of fried eggplant, rich tomato sauce, and gooey cheese, perfect for any occasion.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 300
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Eggplant
  • 2 large aubergines/eggplant Around 700g/1.5 lbs
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil For sautéing the onion
  • 1/2 cup sunflower oil For frying (around 125ml)
  • flour flour For dusting the eggplant
For the Tomato Sauce
  • 1.5 lbs pureed tomatoes (passata) Chunky or smooth texture (700g)
  • 1 white onion white onion Finely chopped
  • 1 small bunch basil Fresh, torn
  • to taste salt and pepper For seasoning
For the Cheese Layer
  • 8.8 oz mozzarella cheese Cut into cubes (250g)
  • 3/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese Freshly grated (70g)

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Thinly slice the eggplant/aubergines, place them in a colander, sprinkle lightly with salt, and set aside for 1 hour to drain excess water.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the tomato sauce by finely chopping the onion and sautéing it in a pan with olive oil until soft.
    Meanwhile, prepare the tomato sauce by finely chopping the onion and sautéing it in a pan with olive oil until soft.
  3. Add the tomato passata and torn basil, season with salt and pepper, and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes. Set aside.
  4. Rinse the eggplant slices under cold water and pat dry. Dust lightly with flour.
Frying and Assembling
  1. Fry the eggplant slices in sunflower oil until golden on both sides. Drain on kitchen paper.
    Fry the eggplant slices in sunflower oil until golden on both sides. Drain on kitchen paper.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Using an 11×8 inch baking dish, spoon some tomato sauce into the bottom to prevent sticking.
  3. Layer the eggplant slices, followed by Parmesan cheese, mozzarella, pepper, and tomato sauce. Repeat until you have one layer left.
  4. For the top layer, add the remaining tomato sauce and finish with Parmesan and mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
  5. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Serve hot from the oven, paired with a crisp salad or garlic bread. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage. Reheat before serving.