Recipe: Campanile Eggplant Parmesan and Simple Tomato Sauce

EGGPLANT PARMESAN

"There are two methods you can use for the eggplant: You can salt it and fry it, or you can first roast it in a hot oven instead of salting, then drain, slice, and fry. The second method requires a little less oil than the first. When breading an ingredient for frying, always have more bread crumbs, flour, and egg for dredging than you think you need. It makes the process easier."



Canola oil
2 pounds eggplant (2 large)
Kosher salt
FOR THE BREADING:
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided use
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4 cup canola oil (for frying)
FOR ASSEMBLING:
Extra virgin olive oil
1 recipe Simple Tomato Sauce (recipe follows)
1⁄2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

TO PREPARE THE EGGPLANT:

OPTION A - TO ROAST THE EGGPLANT:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Cover a baking sheet with foil and oil the foil.

Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and cut the stem ends off. Score with the tip of a sharp knife down the middle of the cut side, almost to the skin, being careful not to cut through the skin. Place, cut side down, on the baking sheet.

Roast for 20 minutes, until the skin is shriveled and the eggplant is slightly softened but holds its shape when lightly pressed. Remove from the oven and place, cut side down, in a colander set in the sink or over a bowl. Allow to cool and drain for 30 minutes, then slice lengthwise about 1⁄2 inch thick and season the slices with 1 teaspoon kosher salt.

OPTION B - TO SALT THE EGGPLANT:
Slice the eggplant lengthwise in 1⁄2-inch-thick slices. Salt generously. Lay on a rack set over a baking sheet, and when you see water beading on the top surface, turn the slices over and salt the other side generously. Let sit 30 minutes, then rinse and pat dry.

TO PREPARE THE BREADING INGREDIENTS:
In a wide baking dish, mix together the bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, and the parsley. In another bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. In a wide baking dish, mix together the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper.

TO FRY THE EGGPLANT:
Dip the eggplant slices first in the flour, then in the egg, then in the bread crumb and Parmesan mixture, and coat thoroughly. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes so that the surface of the breaded eggplant dries out.

Heat 1⁄4 cup canola oil in a large, heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is rippling, just short of smoking, fry the coated eggplant slices in batches until nicely browned on each side and soft in the middle. The roasted slices will take about 1 to 1 1⁄2 minutes per side. The salted slices will take longer, about 1 1⁄2 to 2 minutes per side. They should be a dark golden brown; be careful not to burn the coating. Drain the slices on a rack or on paper towels.

TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Oil a 3-quart gratin dish with olive oil. Cover the bottom of the dish with 1⁄2 cup of the tomato sauce. Top with the eggplant slices, overlapping them in a single layer. Spread half the remaining tomato sauce down the middle of the eggplant layer, and top with the sliced mozzarella in a single layer. Top with the remaining tomato sauce, again spooning it down the middle of the casserole. Sprinkle on 1⁄2 cup Parmesan, and drizzle on a tablespoon of olive oil.

Bake 30 minutes, or until browned and bubbling.

SIMPLE TOMATO SAUCE
Makes 2 cups

"Tomato sauces don't get much simpler than this one, especially if you use canned tomatoes, which I recommend if you're making the sauce any time other than the peak of tomato season, July through October."

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 fat or 4 medium garlic cloves, halved, green shoots removed, and thinly sliced
2 pounds fresh ripe tomatoes,* peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped, or (one 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juice)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
As mall handful of basil leaves, without the stems

Heat the olive oil with the sliced garlic in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat and simmer the garlic gently until transparent, about 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the pepper and simmer 45 minutes, stirring often to make sure the sauce does not stick to the pan, until thick. (If you have used canned tomatoes, crush the tomatoes with the back of your spoon to get a finer texture.) Taste and adjust the seasoning. Stir in the basil and remove from the heat. Allow the basil to infuse for 15 minutes or longer, then remove. This will keep for 5 days in the refrigerator, and freezes well.

*SEEDING TOMATOES AND RETAINING THE SWEETEST PART:
The gelatinous, juicy seed of a tomato contains some of the fruit's sweetest, most intense flavors. When you seed tomatoes, place a strainer over a bowl. Cut the tomatoes in half at the equator and squeeze over the strainer. Rub the seeds and surrounding pulp against the strainer so the juice goes through. Add the juice to your dish along with the chopped tomatoes.

Makes 6 servings
Source: New Classic Family Dinners by Mark Peel and Lucy Schaeffer