Eggplant Parmigiana is the perfect Italian casserole to liven up any table. It sounds slow and complicated, but in fact, it is extremely simple and cooks in as little as thirty minutes, or an hour for maximum flavor.

The first thing to consider are the basics of the recipe. There are 5 ingredient requirements for this recipe: eggplant, tomato sauce, cheese, an emulsifier (egg), and breading. Anything else you add will give the recipe its own unique twist.

For example, if you don’t have eggplant, consider modifying this recipe on a chicken parmesan or experimenting with another vegetable parmesan instead. With those three ingredients, you can modify this recipe for your taste buds, time constraints, and diet. For example, if you have cheese, but prefer to use a mixture of Italian cheese, such as Romano, Parmesan, and mozzarella, it will cook just as well. Like pizza, the amount you eat is based on your preferences. Although the recipe below calls for three cups, feel free to change it up. A great variation is to use half cheese and half pureed vegetables.

The easiest part of this recipe is the layers. Bread the eggplant, cook it, layer it in the skillet and alternate the sauce, the eggplant, the cheese, then put another layer until all the eggplant is finished. The more cheese you use, the more forgiving it will be in terms of sticking together like a lasagna. This is also a great recipe if you have kids who like to help out in the kitchen.

Ingredients

1. 2 large aubergines or 5 small aubergines (small aubergines take a little longer but are very tender)

2. 2 glass jars of your favorite tomato sauce

3. 2 large bags mozzarella (adjust cheese to taste)

4. 3 eggs

5. 2 cups of your favorite breading (panko, Italian breadcrumbs, pureed walnut flour, etc.)

* Use a glass baking sheet (9×13) or 2 square pans and a baking sheet

Some additional flavor options are seasoning the tomato sauce with dried basil, oregano, thyme, garlic, and onion. Feel free to mix ricotta or cottage cheese into the sauce for a creamier pink sauce.

A great way to increase the protein and healthy fats in this recipe is to use half almond flour and half breadcrumbs with the advantage of a sweet and light texture.

Addresses

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cut the aubergines into thin slices so they cook evenly.

3. Beat the eggs in a bowl and put the breading in another bowl or plate.

4. Dip each eggplant slice into the beaten egg, then dip each side into the batter, then place on a cookie sheet.

5. Cook the eggplant until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes on each side.

6. Prepare the baking dish by spreading a healthy layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of the dish.

7. Line the eggplant on the baking sheet so that each slice touches the next or slightly overlaps.

8. Sprinkle a layer of cheese on top of the eggplant.

9. Repeat sauce, eggplant, cheese until all of the eggplant is in the skillet and layered and all of the breading is covered with sauce.

10. Top with cheese.

11. Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes or until cheese is golden brown, or topping for up to 1 hour to blend flavors, or if needed an hour before eating. Just make sure to brown the cheese for at least 10 minutes in the oven.

12. Rest for 10 minutes while the children set the table.