Yield: 4 Portions
| Measure | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 40 ounces | Tomato puree |
| 1 tablespoon | Tomato paste |
| 1 tablespoon | Parsley, chopped |
| ½ teaspoon | Sweet Basil, ground |
| ½ teaspoon | Oregano, ground |
| 2 | Garlic cloves, chopped |
| Salt and pepper, to taste | |
| 1 large | Eggplant |
| Salt as needed | |
| 1 cup | Flour |
| 3 | Eggs, beaten |
| 2 cups | Bread crumbs |
| ¾ cup | Olive Oil |
| 8 ounces | Mozzarella Cheese, shredded |
| ½ cup | Parmesan cheese, grated |
Combine first eight ingredients and heat over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Be careful, not to scorch. Reserve.
Place ½" sliced eggplant on rack; sprinkle lightly with salt. Let stand for about 20 minutes so bitter juice can run off. Rinse each slice and pat dry. Coat each slice with flour; dip in egg; then coat lightly with bread crumbs.
Heat oil in heavy skillet (oil should be ½" deep). When oil is hot, add eggplant slices. Heat 2 minutes on each side or until soft and golden. Reserve slices on paper toweling to absorb excess oil. Place about ½" reserved tomato sauce over bottom of baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Place eggplant in layers in dish; sprinkle each layer with cheeses, alternate layers until all ingredients are used, reserving a little of each cheese for top. Cover lightly with remaining sauce and reserved cheeses. Bake at 325F. for 30 minutes.
SOURCE: American Academy of Chefs--J. Spina, Chef