Quarantinechef: eggplant parmigiana

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Sometimes (correction: all the time) quarantine calls for cheesy, delicious comfort food. Add this eggplant parmigiana to your fall rotation so that you can pretend you’re in Italy (or even just pretend you’re at the Olive Garden).

Eggplant_parm.png

As I write this, it’s three nights before the 2020 election. It’s doom and gloom in quarantine land - cases are spiking; Denver put in a stricter mask order this week; my triglycerides are up, which can only be because of carbs and wine (don’t tell my doctor about the wine). Everything feels weird and terrible.

But what’s not weird and terrible is this fantastic eggplant parmigiana from a cookbook called Big Night In (Amazon link for used copies - it appears to be out of print). It’s saucy and decadent, which is what I want my life to be. It’s also gluten free and vegetarian, if either of those matter to you.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 28 oz can whole tomatoes

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • olive oil

  • salt

  • fresh basil

  • 1.5-2 lb eggplant (~3 medium)

  • 4 oz fresh mozzarella

  • 4 oz smoked mozzarella

  • 1 c grated parmesan

INSTRUCTIONS:

Step 0: preheat oven to 350 degrees. Locate your 8x8 baking dish.

Step 1: Slice eggplants lengthwise into ~1/2” thick slabs. Salt on both sides. Layer in a colander and put a plate on top, held down by a heavy object (like a canned good), for 30-60 minutes to sweat out any bitterness.

Step 2: While the eggplants are sweating, make the sauce.

  • Dump a 28oz can of whole tomatoes into a bowl and crush the tomatoes in your fist (or use a potato masher if you don’t want to be so viscerally connected to your tomatoes0

  • Peel two cloves of garlic and smash them with the flat of your knife

  • Heat 1.5 tbsp of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add the garlic and cook, being careful not to brown the garlic; smash the garlic a bit more into the oil so that the oil is infused.

  • Carefully add your smashed tomatoes to the oil/garlic, along with a big pinch of salt (1/2-1tsp). Turn heat up to med-high to bring tomatoes to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 35-40min.

  • When the sauce has finished cooking, add ~2-3 tbsp of chopped fresh basil; stir and set aside.

Step 3: While your sauce is cooking, prep the cheese.

  • Thinly slice 4oz of fresh mozzarella (I used the firm blocks of mozzarella, not the watery balls)

  • Thinly slice 4oz of smoked mozzarella

  • Measure 1c of grated parmesan

  • And while you’re at it, tear up ~12 leaves of fresh basil for the assembly line

Step 4: Fry the eggplant.

  • Remove eggplant from colander and blot with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible

  • Heat 1/4c of canola or other neutral oil in a large skillet

  • Cook eggplant, one layer at a time (so that eggplant aren’t crowded), flipping to ensure even browning. Browning takes ~5min (2-3min/side); add oil as necessary. Continue cooking batches until all eggplant is cooked (for me, this was two batches)

  • Remove eggplant to a platter lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil

Here’s your eggplant parm assembly line…sauce, fried eggplant, cheeeeeeeeeeese, basil.

Here’s your eggplant parm assembly line…sauce, fried eggplant, cheeeeeeeeeeese, basil.

Step 5: Assemble the eggplant parm.

  • Put ~1/4 c of sauce into the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish

  • Add a layer of eggplant (approx 1/4 of your available eggplant)

  • Add fresh and smoked mozzarella; sprinkle with parmesan and fresh basil

  • Add two more layers of sauce, eggplant, cheese, basil (in that order)

  • Finish by placing the remaining eggplant on top, topped with remaining sauce + a “generous amount” of parmesan (I went slightly over the 1c total parmesan that the recipe called for so that the top would be cheesier)

Final layer: eggplant, tomato sauce, parmesan cheeeeeeeeeese

Final layer: eggplant, tomato sauce, parmesan cheeeeeeeeeese

Step 6: Cook!

  • Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the top is nicely browned

  • Let sit uncovered on the counter for 15-20min to firm up a bit

  • Serve!

The final product (did I mention the cheeeeeeeese)?

The final product (did I mention the cheeeeeeeese)?

PRODUCTION NOTES:

  • The original recipe doubled everything, which would be cooked in a 9x13” baking dish. For me, halving the recipe (the instructions listed above) was just right for me + some reasonable leftovers (an 8x8 dish is 4-5 servings).

  • This was slightly involved for a weeknight. But the dish could be assembled ahead of time and baked later.

  • I want to eat smoked parmesan until the end of time (which may be sooner than we think!)