This fabulous take on the traditional “eggplant Parm”—a staple of red-sauce Italian joints—will be a revelation. Forget about the heavy, greasy eggplant lost in deep-fried breading. Here it is grilled to a soft-charred beauty and layered with melted cheese, seasoned bread crumbs, and a delicate tomato sauce. This recipe began as an attempt to convert my husband, who was scarred as a youth when forced to eat eggplant at its slimy-viscous-undercooked worst. As a result, he refers to eggplant as the organ meat of vegetables. Not fair. Whenever he’s out, I cook eggplant!
Ingredients:
2 eggplants (2½ pounds total), sliced ¹⁄3 inch thick (24 slices total)
¹⁄3 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup fine bread crumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
3 cups Italian Tomato Sauce (recipe follows) or other tomato sauce
A 1-pound ball fresh mozzarella, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise ¼ inch thick (24 slices total)
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the center position. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
2. Brush the eggplant slices on both sides with ¹⁄3 cup of the olive oil and season with the salt. Working in batches, add to the grill pan and cook, flipping once, until charred and soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a platter or baking sheet.
3. Combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, pepper, herbs, and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a medium bowl.
4. Place 8 slices of the grilled eggplant on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Top each with 2 tablespoons tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon of the bread crumb mixture, and a slice of mozzarella. Repeat to make 2 more layers.
5. Bake for about 30 minutes, until soft, golden, and bubbly. Serve immediately.
Italian Tomato Sauce – This is my basic red sauce.
(Makes 3 cups)
Ingredients:
1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
¹⁄8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
One 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes, pulsed in a blender to a semichunky consistency
½ teaspoon coarse salt
1 basil sprig (optional)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)
Directions:
1. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Swirl in the olive oil to coat the pan. When the oil shimmers, add the garlic and pepper flakes and stir constantly for 30 seconds, just long enough to release the garlic’s fragrance; don’t cook it to golden.
2. Stir in the tomatoes and salt, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, until the sauce is slightly reduced and a deep tomato color. Add the basil sprig in the last 5 minutes of cooking, if using.
Remove the basil before serving and swirl in the butter, if desired.
Excerpted from Mad Hungry Cravings by Lucinda Scala Quinn, published by Artisan Books on March 19, 2013. Photographs by Jonathan Lovekin.
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