Name: Eggplant Parmigiana
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 400 g Eggplant, sliced into rounds or long slices; 1 tsp Salt, divided between resting and sauce; 3 tbsp Olive Oil, for shallow frying and sauce; 2 clove Garlic, finely chopped; 1 cup Tomato Puree, smooth; ¼ cup Sweet Basil, torn; ¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper; 120 g Mozzarella Cheese, sliced or grated; ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated

1 hr 25 mintotal

1 hr 5 min hands-on20 min hands-off

Prep 20 min · Cook 45 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: None

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Ingredients

400 gEggplantsliced into rounds or long slices
1 tspSaltdivided between resting and sauce
3 tbspOlive Oilfor shallow frying and sauce
2 cloveGarlicfinely chopped
1 cupTomato Pureesmooth
¼ cupSweet Basiltorn
¼ tspGround Black Pepper
120 gMozzarella Cheesesliced or grated
¼ cupParmesan Cheesefinely grated

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop, Oven.

Includes 20 minutes of salting time for the eggplant so excess moisture drains before frying and layering.

Method

Sprinkle the brinjal slices with part of the measured salt and rest for 20 minutes. Pat dry well.
20 min
Heat part of the measured olive oil in a pan. Shallow fry the brinjal slices in batches until lightly golden on both sides.
In the same pan, add a little more olive oil if needed. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add tomato puree, remaining salt, and black pepper powder. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.
Turn off the heat and stir in the basil leaves.
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Spread a little tomato sauce in a baking dish.
Layer brinjal slices, tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and Parmesan cheese. Repeat until the ingredients are used.
Bake until the cheese melts, the top turns lightly golden, and the sauce bubbles at the edges.
Rest for 5 minutes before serving so the layers hold together.
5 min

How to tell it's done

The brinjal should be tender, the layers should hold softly, and the top should be melted and lightly golden.

Getting it right

Tip

Cook the tomato sauce until slightly thick before layering, otherwise the baked dish can become watery.

What to serve it with

Serve warm as a vegetarian main with bread, salad, or a simple pasta side.

Common mistakes

The bake turns watery and the layers slide apart.: Salt and pat dry the eggplant, thicken the tomato sauce, and rest briefly before serving.

Substitutions

Use firm medium brinjals so the slices hold shape during frying and baking.
Do not skip pat-drying after salting; excess moisture can make the bake watery.
Processed cheese is not a close substitute for Parmesan Cheese and will change the flavor and texture.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate eggplant parmigiana for up to 4 days. Reheat covered until hot, then uncover briefly; freeze portions for up to 2 months.

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