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So I’m really hoping that my Italian relatives do not read this article! I can almost see them shaking their heads at my brazen deviation from traditional Eggplant Parmesan. Rarely do I stray from my family’s Italian recipes (I’ve been making my mother’s tomato sauce for 10 years now!); however, when I saw this recipe in the Times, I almost immediately felt compelled to give it a try. Lighter and healthier than its traditional counterpart, this Deconstructed Eggplant Parmesan is made by preparing each individual component separately (eggplant, sauce, bread crumb topping) then combining them into single serving bites that are nothing short of scrumptious. The rustic sauce, made of sweet cherry tomatoes, garlic, fresh oregano and basil, is so simple to make and comes together in about 15 minutes. If you are steeped in Italian tradition and looking at this recipe with a skeptical eye, I urge you to take a brief hiatus from the norm and give this dish a try. So tasty. You won’t be sorry! Continue reading for the recipe.
One large eggplant (currently in season) is sliced, seasoned then drained of moisture before hitting a hot skillet.
This cherry tomato sauce is an easy, flavorful variation on the classic tomato sauce.
Deconstructed Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- Fresh ground black pepper
- About 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided (part for eggplant, part for sauce, a bit for drizzling)
- 5 garlic cloves, divided (4 for the sauce, 1 for the bread crumbs)
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes
- 4 sprigs oregano
- 3 sprigs basil, plus extra leaves
- 5 tablespoons grated Parmesan, divided (4 tablespoons for the sauce, 1 for the bread crumbs)
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup ricotta cheese
- 2 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Lay eggplant slices out in an even layer on a work surface. Season one side with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Flip the slices and season the other side with an additional 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Transfer slices to a colander set over a bowl. Set aside for at least 20 minutes. Gently press the mound of slices to drain excess water. Lay out several paper towels. Place slices in an even layer on the towels. Use more paper towels to blot and press any remaining moisture from the slices. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
- Working in batches, warm some of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Carefully lay eggplant slices into the skillet in a single layer. Be sure not to crowd the pan! Cook the slices, without moving, until deep golden brown (about 4 minutes). Flip and cook the other side until golden brown as well. Transfer eggplant to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat this process with the remaining olive oil and eggplant.
- Turn off the heat below the skillet and let cool for a few minutes. Meanwhile, smash and peel 4 of the garlic cloves. Add three tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet and warm over medium heat. Add the smashed cloves and cook until golden and fragrant (about 3 minutes). Add cherry tomatoes and oregano sprigs. As the sauce cooks, gently break up the tomatoes with the back of a spatula or wooden spoon (aggressively popping the tomatoes can result in a spray of hot tomato juice!). After about 15 minutes, you should have a nice, chunky tomato sauce. Add the basil sprigs and 4 tablespoons of grated Parmesan. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- While the sauce simmers, prepare the bread crumb topping. Warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small skillet. Mince 1 clove of garlic and add to the small skillet with panko bread crumbs. Cook until bread crumbs are just golden, stirring frequently (about 2 minutes). Remove from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan and a small pinch of salt.
- Arrange eggplant slices on parchment lined baking sheet. Place a dollop of ricotta cheese in the center of each slice then top with sauce and shredded mozzarella. Place baking sheet in the oven to melt the mozzarella cheese (about 5 minutes). Remove from the oven and top with bread crumbs and torn basil leaves. Drizzle with a little olive oil and serve immediately.
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I’m Brandon: food explorer, recipe curator, cocktail shaker, dessert lover. Kitchen Konfidence is how I document my time spent in my favorite space, the kitchen. Did you make a recipe? Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can see the how it went!
Pizzas Online says
Lovely ! The Eggplant looks great in this avatar. Thanks for the share. 🙂
Sheridan Sands says
Forgot to pick up the ricotta, so I put the eggplant over some garlic basil fettucini and finished with the tomato sauce and bread crumbs. Scrumptious! Thanks for the recipe!
Brandon @ Kitchen Konfidence says
Mmm that sounds like a nice addition. Eggplant Parmesan Fettucini! I might try that this week. Thanks for sharing.
Grubarazzi says
Mmmmm. This looks so fresh, healthy and good.
Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. says
While nothing can ever beat family recipes, sometimes it’s nice to have lighter and healthier versions of these dishes and then we can save the traditional version for special occasions! This sounds so delicious!
Kara says
What a creative recipe! Looks delicious!
RavieNomNoms says
This is really unique! Thanks so much for sharing it!
Beth Michelle says
I love your version of eggplant parm! Looks delicious and so much lighter then the regular eggplant parmesan. Beautiful photos!
michelle says
Looks delicious! Check out my version on my website too!
Dan says
Looks delicious. I was thinking of making something similar to this to lighten up the traditional deep-fried version. Nice blog by the way.