Eggplant Parmesan

This Eggplant Parmesan takes a little work but is 100% worth it.

The crispy fried vegetable slices are delicious and smothered with meaty flavored tomato sauce and mozzarella melted cheese.

Great in a casserole as a whole meal and leftovers are over-the-top delicious in a sandwich.

Grandma made the best-fried eggplant parmesan and always cooked hers in a cast-iron skillet.

I loved the eggplant fried plain also, it's like eating popcorn and addicting.

My other favorite eggplant casseroles are done with ricotta cheese and also love it stuffed and baked.

Dad always used eggplant in a caponata with fried bologna, so we have grown up with freshly grown eggplants in our garden.

Fresh is best, so if you get a chance to get them at a farmers market I highly recommend them over grocery stores.


Scroll down and print grandma's over 100-year-old recipe, it's a fabulous addition to any eggplant recipe!

Easy Steps

1. Slice the eggplant and lay it on paper towels then sprinkle with salt and let sit for 1 hour
2. Heat oil in a large fry pan 
3. In a large plastic bag add flour and seasonings
4.  Add eggplant slices to the egg mixture,(if you prefer a lighter coating moistened eggplant in plain water and shake in seasoned flour ) shake wet eggplant into the seasoned flour. 
5. Drop eggplant slices into heated hot frying oil about 1/2 inch of oil, and fry each piece until golden brown. 
6. Spread out on paper towels to blot the oil.
7.  This is now ready to layer. In a large casserole dish, 13 x 9 lay your eggplant slices down on a little homemade sauce, sprinkle heavily with grated cheese and granulated garlic, then sprinkle shredded mozzarella. Repeat this same step until the eggplant is all gone. 
8. Bake until the cheese is bubbling.

Grandma's Recipe

This was Grandma's Roman way of Eggplant Parmesan, Grandma Victoria's version who was born in Rome, Italy, and from her Region of cooking this dish.


This has our family recipe of homemade Traditional Sunday Sauce and grated Romano and Parmesan blended cheeses layer with mozzarella.

Basic Casserole Additions

• add sliced mushrooms
• add sliced bell peppers
• add cooked ground beef or shredded chicken breast
• make a layered of ricotta cheese
• add a layer of sliced cooked Italian sausage
• add sliced tomatoes on top with fresh basil and mozzarella or feta cheese

Ingredients for Eggplant Parmesan

• eggplants washed
• seasoned flour
• salt, pepper, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, basil
• egg
• water
• fresh garlic
• oil for frying Grandma used vegetable oil ( I use canola oil)
• Parmesan and Romano blend
• shredded mozzarella
• homemade tomato sauce
• Optional:1 pinch of fennel seed

Ways I love Eggplant Parmesan

In most eggplant Parmesan recipes, crusty slices of fried eggplant go into a casserole with sauce and cheese.


Leftovers are perfect to fill a hoagie or submarine sandwich and even in sliced hard-crusted bread.


I love making garlic bread and adding the sliced eggplant on it with melted cheese.


Either way, this is a delicious meal add a nice Italian salad and vino and you're styling in Italian fine cuisine for sure!

Tips

• Smaller eggplant is less bitter
• Salt the slices and drain on paper towels to remove bitterness
• Slice them thinner 1/4 inch for eggplant sandwiches
• Slice thicker 1/2 inch for a casserole
• Ground meat like meatballs or sausage can be added in a layer
• Season ricotta cheese can be added as a layer
• Leave some random skin on for striped pretty look effects
• For fewer calories, rinse and wet the slices and shake in seasoned flour, crackers crumbs, and bread crumbs for low-carb crushed pork rings
• Fry on low-medium heat until just golden brown on each side
• For flavored oil add fresh garlic while frying
• Homemade  Italian Tomato sauce or store-bought
• Use a Parmesan Romano blend for grated cheese
• Don't be afraid to make too much, this eggplant freezer is perfectly in freezer containers

Pin for later Eggplant Parmesan

Other Recipes to Try:

Eggplant Chips

Zucchini Rollatini

Fried Zucchini Fritters

Grilled Eggplant

Eggplant Easy Casserole

Whether you leave this fried and plain to eat as a side dish or make it layered parmesan style, they eggplant is delicious and very easy to make.

You can substitute your favorite jarred sauce for homemade and layer it with shredded cheese of choice, provolone is a nice alternative.

eggplant parmesan recipe, vintage eggplant recipe, fried eggplant, Italian eggplant sandwich

eggplant, vegetable, casserole Italian food

Italian

Yield: 12

Author: Claudia Lamascolo

Eggplant Parmesan

prep time: 8 Mcook time: 25 Mtotal time: 33 M

This a vintage over 100-year-old recipe my grandmother made called Eggplant Parmesan. This is a purple vegetable that is first fried then baked in a cheese and tomato sauce. Delicious as an entree or in a sandwich.

ingredients:

• 1 eggplant washed and sliced thick, (leaving partial skins on striping effect for sandwich slices cut much thinner and fried) I leave mine thick and take all the skins off
• 1 1/2 cups of seasoned flour
• seasoning for flour -, 1/2 teaspoon of each, salt, pepper, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, basil
• 1 egg beaten with 1/4 cup water
• 1  tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• oil for frying Grandma used vegetable oil ( I use canola oil)
• grated cheese Parmesan and Romano blend
• shredded mozzarella around 3 cups
• homemade tomato sauce ( or store-bought) around 3 to 4 cups
• Optional: for a sausage-flavored sauce add 1 pinch of fennel seed (about 1/4 teaspoon)

instructions:

How to Cook Eggplant Parmesan

1. First, slice the eggplant in rounds and place it on a towel or paper towel.
2. I usually like it around 1/2 inch thick (thicker when baking it in a casserole without breading).
3. Sprinkle with kosher or regular salt and let it sit for 1 hour.
4. Remove from the paper towel, it will be saturated with water, and toss it.
5. Note: This removes any bitterness, at least that's what my grandmother said back in the 1960s.
6. Heat oil in a large fry pan. In a large plastic bag add flour and seasonings.
7. Add eggplant slices to the egg mixture,(if you prefer a lighter coating moistened eggplant in plain water and shake in seasoned flour ) shake wet eggplant into the seasoned flour.
8. Note: you can use Italian-flavored breadcrumbs instead of flour if you prefer
9. Drop into heated hot frying oil about 1/2 inch of oil, and fry each piece until golden brown.
10. Spread out on paper towels to blot the oil.
11. This is now ready to layer.
12. In a large casserole dish, 13 x 9 lay your eggplant slices down on a little homemade sauce, sprinkle heavily with grated cheese and granulated garlic, then sprinkle shredded mozzarella.
13. Repeat this same step until the eggplant is all gone.
14. Note:
15. If you prefer to bake the eggplant slices, bake on a sprayed cookie sheet (or on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet), dot with olive oil on each slice of eggplant at 425 degrees until golden brown. instead of frying.
16. The last layer should be smothered in shredded mozzarella and Parmesan Bake until cheese is melted throughout and bubbly, around a half-hour on a 350-degree oven.
17. For an eggplant sub, I cut thin slices of eggplant and fry till golden.
18. Toast a sub roll of butter on both sides and sprinkle with garlic powder.
19. Top with favorite sauce, and mozzarella, wrap in foil, and bake until the cheese is melted.

Calories
356

Fat (grams)
25

Sat. Fat (grams)
11

Carbs (grams)
22

Net carbs
15

Sugar (grams)
17

https://www.whatscookinitalianstylecuisine.com/2010/04/grandma-victorias-eggplant-parmesan.html

Created using The Recipes Generator

Pin for later Eggplant Parmesan

More Parmesan Recipes We Love:

Chicken Parmesan


Chicken Parmesan Meatballs


Parmesan Crusted Chicken


Parmesan Roasted Vegetables

Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2010. It was edited and re-published in 2019.