Marinara
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Place a Dutch oven or different giant heavy ovenproof pot over medium warmth. Add ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil and 1 head of garlic, cloves crushed, and cook dinner, stirring typically, till garlic is golden, about 4 minutes. Add 1 giant crimson onion, chopped, 3 oil-packed anchovy fillets (if utilizing), and ½ tsp. crushed crimson pepper flakes and cook dinner, stirring typically, till onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 Tbsp. tomato paste and cook dinner, stirring typically, till barely darkened, about 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup dry white wine, carry to a boil, and cook dinner till nearly fully evaporated, about 1 minute. Add two 28-oz. cans entire peeled tomatoes, breaking apart along with your arms, and their juices; add ¼ cup torn basil leaves and ½ tsp. dried oregano and stir to mix. Swirl 1½ cups water into one tomato can, then the opposite, to rinse, and add to pot; season with kosher salt. Switch pot to oven; roast sauce, stirring midway via, till thick and tomatoes are browned on prime and round edges of pot, 2–2½ hours.
Step 2
Let sauce cool barely. Go via the big holes of a meals mill or course of in a meals processor till largely clean. Style and season with salt.
Do Forward: Sauce might be made 2 days forward. Cowl and chill.
Eggplant and meeting
Step 3
Evenly season 4 lb. Italian eggplants (about 4 medium eggplants), peeled, sliced lengthwise ½”–¾” thick, throughout with kosher salt; place in a single layer on a number of layers of paper towels inside a rimmed baking sheet. Prime with one other layer of paper towels and extra slices; repeat as wanted. Prime with a last layer of paper towels, then one other rimmed baking sheet; crush with a heavy pot. Let sliced eggplant sit till it has launched extra liquid, 45–60 minutes. This step provides the eggplant a creamy texture when baked.
Step 4
In the meantime, pulse 3 cups panko breadcrumbs, 1½ tsp. dried oregano, 1 tsp. freshly floor black pepper, and ¾ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese in a meals processor till very finely floor. Switch to a shallow bowl.
Step 5
Preheat oven to 350°. Place 1½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour in one other shallow bowl and 5 giant eggs, crushed to mix, in a 3rd shallow bowl. Working separately, dredge eggplant slices in flour, then dip in egg, permitting extra to drip off. Coat in breadcrumb combination, packing throughout, then shaking off extra. Place on wire racks.
Step 6
Warmth ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a big skillet, ideally forged iron, over medium-high. Cook dinner as many eggplant slices as will comfortably slot in pan, turning as soon as, till deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Switch to paper towels and instantly press with extra paper towel to soak up oil. Working in batches, repeat with remaining eggplant, including remaining ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil and wiping out skillet as wanted. Let cool. Style and season with extra salt if wanted.
Step 7
Toss ½ cup finely chopped basil and parsley, 6 oz. low-moisture mozzarella cheese, grated (about 1⅓ cups), and remaining ¾ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese in a medium bowl. Unfold 1 cup sauce over the underside of a 13×9″ baking pan or casserole dish; prime with a layer of roasted eggplant slices (trim as wanted). Drizzle 1 cup sauce over and sprinkle with one third of cheese combination. Add one other layer of eggplant, adopted by 1 cup sauce and half of remaining cheese combination. Repeat layers with remaining slices, sauce, and cheese combination. Cowl with foil and bake on a rimmed baking sheet till eggplant is custardy, 45–60 minutes.
Step 8
Take away from oven and organize 8 oz. contemporary mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced, over eggplant. Enhance oven temperature to 425° and bake, uncovered, till cheese is effervescent and browned in spots, 15–20 minutes longer. Let relaxation half-hour. Prime with basil leaves simply earlier than slicing.
Do Forward: Eggplant Parmesan might be baked 2 days forward. Let cool; cowl with foil and chill. Reheat in a 350° oven, uncovering midway via, till effervescent gently at edges.
{Photograph} by Travis Rainey, Prop Styling by Marc Williams, Meals Styling Sean Dooley
Editor’s be aware: This eggplant parm recipe was first printed in our October 2016 concern. Head this manner for extra of our favourite casserole recipes →
