Monday’s Cooking newsletter brought to my attention an old Marian Burros recipe for eggplant parmesan adapted from a recipe in Jamie Oliver’s Jamie’s Italy. The recipe omits breading and frying the eggplant, calling for roasting instead. On Wednesday, using one eggplant from Tuesday’s CSA and one very tired eggplant from several weeks ago, I followed Burros’s recipe, roasting a sheet pan of eggplant slices at high heat for 35 minutes, then layering the slices in a gratin dish with homemade sauce and parmesan cheese, topping it all off with a mix of fresh bread crumbs, parmesan and olive oil. After 25 minutes in the oven, the gratin emerged bubbling and golden and tasted utterly delicious.
Two Tips for Excellent Eggplant Parmesan
As you know, I love the Cook’s Illustrated eggplant parmesan, which simplifies the process of eggplant parmesan by oven-frying the breaded slices of eggplant on preheated baking sheets. The rounds emerge crisp and golden and are completely irresistible. How does this recipe compare? If you are a fan of the crispy-gone-soggy effect, the Cook’s Illustrated recipe is a must make. The eggplant parmesan is more akin to a gratin than a casserole. The rounds taste creamy and melt into each other, the only crispness coming from the topping. This one is a little lighter — no mozzarella here — though it won’t feed as many people. Finally, the Cook’s Illustrated recipe is something, I think, for an occasion, a labor of love; this one’s for right now, something you could throw together quickly as opposed to saving for the weekend. Both are delicious. If you love eggplant, you can’t go wrong. Here’s the play-by-play: Gather some eggplant. Slice it thinly. Season it with salt and pepper. Dress it with olive oil. Roast it till … …it’s beginning to brown and caramelize. Gather the eggplant parmesan components: tomato sauce, grated parmesan, and fresh bread crumbs. Season the bread crumbs with olive oil, parmesan, salt, and pepper. Begin the layering: Top with the layer of bread crumbs: Bake until golden: 4.9 from 15 reviews When the peppers and tomatoes are tender and nearly all of the liquid has evaporated and the tomatoes and peppers are beginning to stick to pot, add the basil, butter, and oil to the pot, give it a stir, then transfer the contents of the pot to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Taste. Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper as necessary.
