Frankie’s Eggplant Parmigiana

This recipe is part of a series of occasional recipes from Medford’s Frankie Imbergamo, a cookbook author whose “gravy and meatballs” recipe won a national contest and was featured on chef Emeril Lagasse’s TV show.

Whether you’re looking for a hearty meatless recipe to serve during Lent or simply looking to enjoy a delicious Italian favorite, Frankie’s eggplant parmigiana is sure to be a crowd-pleaser!

Frankie’s Eggplant Parmigiana

2 medium eggplants, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices
Half cup olive oil

Egg mixture:
4 eggs
1 Tbsp. parsley
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 cup grated Romano cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder

Bread crumb mixture:
3 cups plain bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. parsley
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 cup Romano cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder

In a bowl, mix all ingredients for egg mixture. In a separate bowl, mix all ingredients for bread crumb mixture. Peel eggplant and cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices. Dip each slice of eggplant into egg mixture and then into bread crumb mixture to coat. Place coated slices on large dish. In a fry pan, add 1/2 cup olive oil. When oil is hot, fry coated eggplant slices over medium heat until golden brown, turning them once. Set by layers on a large platter with a layer of paper towel between eggplant layers to drain excess oil. Let cool for 1/2 hour.

Sauce:
1/3 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 (28 oz.) Pasten Kitchen Ready tomatoes
3/4 cup water
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Eggplant layers and topping:
1 1/2 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
Sprinkle of salt
Sprinkle of ground black pepper

To make the sauce, chop onion and garlic. In a medium saucepan, saute chopped onion and garlic in olive oil for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomatoes, water, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Set aside.

In a lasagna pan, place some sauce on the bottom of pan to cover. Place a layer of fried eggplant slices. Cover with some sauce and sprinkle with grated Romano cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese. Repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 layers, winding up with sauce, Romano cheese, and mozzarella cheese on top. Sprinkle with some salt and ground black pepper. There will be about 1 1/2 cups of sauce left over. Cover with aluminum foil and place into a preheated 350 degree oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let set for about 10 minutes. In a dish, serve as is or add some of the extra sauce and sprinkle with grated Romano cheese.