Eggplant parmesan is for day 5 of the blogging marathon. Let me first share the fond memory that this dish brings and it dates back to 10 years ago. A month or so after we arrived in the US we were invited to my hubby’s friend’s house for dinner. They are very good friends to me now, but then I was just getting to know them. This was the dish they had prepared along with pasta. Now, I had not even tried any other cuisine until then other than the familiar South Indian with specks of North Indian here and there. Remember, those were the days when Pizza hut or KFC were not heard of in India.
I also had no idea as to the amount of work involved in the dish and was just taking few bites when another friend who accompanied asked me how the dish was. My answer was “yeah, it is OK” without any excitement. He was taken back because it was supposedly a very tasty dish and I did not appreciate it 
and he was joking to K about it. Well, those were the days when I used to carry food from home when we go out because I could not get myself to eat bread or burger or sandwiches. Things have taken a turn now and it is all about cheese and butter these days. OK, I am just kidding.
I have made this dish a few times and I have been baking the eggplant slices rather than deep frying. Funny thing was that the first time I made it I also added lasagna along with the eggplant slices. I also add less cheese for us and more for the kids. Overall, a very tasty dish. After the busy day of cooking and clicking, I was completely exhausted. But, a bite of this dish for dinner made everything worthwhile. Off to the recipe.
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#15.
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants
- 7oz bread crumbs (About 2 cups. You may need more or less.)
- 2 – 3 eggs (Refer to notes for substitute)
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1.5 cups tomato sauce (store bought or homemade)
- 3 cups shredded cheese
My Notes
- Use all purpose flour mixed with some water instead of egg for dipping.
- I used a 9 x 13 pan and ended up with two layers. I piled up the layers for the picture above. You could use a 8 x 8 square pan and get more layers.
- It is best to use fat eggplants to get nice round slices. I could not get a hold of big ones and I have used skinny ones.
- Place the slices slightly overlapping in the pan.
- The slices burn pretty soon. So keep an eye on them.
Method
Peel the eggplants and slice them into pieces that are about 1/2 an inch thick.
Sliced eggplants.
Eggs in a bowl and bread crumbs seasoned with salt and pepper in another bowl. (Dipping station)
Dip the slices in the egg first.
Then coat with breadcrumbs.
Place the coated pieces on a lined(wax paper) or sprayed baking sheet.
Bake in a 400F preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes turning once in the middle. (Halfway through flip each piece.) Be very careful as it tends to burn.
Spread 1/2 cup of tomato sauce in a 9 x 13 baking pan.
Arrange the cooked eggplant slices over the sauce. Let them overlap each other.
Spread 1/2 cup of sauce on top.
Add cheese as needed and repeat the layers again. (Eggplant, 1/2 cup sauce and cheese).
One side has less cheese for us and the other side is for the kids.
Cover with foil and bake in a preheated 400F oven for 25 minutes. Then uncover and bake for 10 minutes.
If needed, broil finally to get the cheese to brown.
Tasty bite ready.
Enjoy!
BakeFest #6 hosted by Sumedha.
It looks amazing Vardhini, but can you suggest an alternative to coating it in egg batter? I don’t eat eggs, but would love to try out this dish. What about soaking it in a besan and milk solution?
Cheers
You could use all purpose flour mixed with water to dip instead of egg.
A really lovely dish! The clicks are amazing.
And my reaction to pizza for the first time was same
.
drooling here…pics are very inviting!!!!
Awesome.Love the first click Vardhini…
should try this soon..they look mouthwatering
perfectly done
Eggplant Parmesan looks awesome. Baked Version is really the way to go.
wow, looks lovely, I always make parmigiana with chicken, never tried with eggplant..
New dish to me and it looks very tempting…
i saw the picture on fb, what pretty clicks, looks like straight out of a cook book of highest quality…i make this kind of eggplany lasagna often…
Delicious looking eggplant parmesan. Being a eggplant lover — I’ll be heaven if someone made this for me.
Yap, even I had the same reaction the first time I tasted it here and now things have definitely changed. Looks awesome.
That is awesome!!!! I dont mind that more cheese side!!!!!
Am not a great of of eggplant. but with the addition of cheese, it really temps me. Now I want to taste and look it wud be.. really tempted..
very delicious one..I love eggplant n cheese..the combo is truly addictive
wow very catchy and pics …yummy recipe.
Nice and delicious recipe….
Never tried with eggplants, beautifully baked eggplant parmesan..well done Vardhini..
Very nice.
That’s an very yum way to indulge with egg plant……cheese and eggplant makes an adorable combo….i am loving it…
Yummm! Makes me smile . . . even at 2 am.
I don’t like eggplant in any way, shape or form…and I’ve tried…I’ve tried so many versions of this..some who bake the eggplant and some who fry it…some who peel the eggplant and some who don’t.everybody tells me I’m crazy because I don’t like it, but my stomach just screams “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO” everytime I try to give it some eggplant