It just always hits the spot!

Eggplant Parmigiana is one of those dishes that hits the spot after a tough week, day, night, really any time! Those cutlets are also incredibly versatile, you could eat them as a side, cut them up and toss them into a salad, or for sandwiches too! The best part about making the eggplant cutlets is you can make them and they freezer wonderfully so you can make eggplant parm any time by reheating the cutlets in the oven.

Making the cutlets is incredibly easy. You cut and size eggplant into quarter inch thick slices ( I leave the skin on!), then sprinkle them with salt to draw out any extra moisture. I usually let the eggplant sit 10-15 minutes and then pat them dry. After the eggplant is patted dry I lightly dredge them in flower and shake off any excess (you’ll only need about 1 cup - I’d put it in a plate to make it easier), then you coat them in an egg mixture (3 eggs, 1/4 cup of milk, and a teaspoon of black pepper - this should be plenty for 2 medium sized eggplants) and the final dredge in your choice of breadcrumbs (panko is my preference, you’ll need 2-3 cups and again, I’d put it in a plate to make it easier). Once they’re breaded, I shallow fry them in olive oil until they’re golden brown. This can be a little time consuming but they always taste way better than the store bought ones. This recipe also works super well for zucchini. Also, I’ll make double or triple this amount and freeze half the batch for later!

Making the eggplant parmigiana can be just as easy. Sauce, cheese, cutlet, baking dish, chuck it in the oven at 400°F, and you’ve got a comforting meal. In terms of cheese I use a mix of fresh mozzarella in the bottom layers and Parmesan for the top layer. Look, I’m happy to make sauce from scratch but on a midweek sometimes I just pop open a bottle of premade sauce. I’m a certified Costco girly so there’s always Rao’s marinara in my pantry. In a shallow pan pour about 1 cup of your pantry staple marinara sauce, then layer in your first layer of cutlet, then a little bit more sauce, and your mozzarella (dry or fresh, whichever you prefer is fine, provolone is a great addition too). For the next layer lay the cutlets in the opposite direction as the last layer, and repeat your thin layer of sauce, and add your cheese(s). When you get to the 3rd layer, lay your last layer of eggplant opposite to the middle layer, add a thin layer of sauce, and top with a generous layer of Parmesan cheese. Once everything is layered, place the baking dish on the middle layer of your oven and bake for 30 minutes at 400°F.

The cutlets take some effort but if you make bigger batches then they’re perfect for a midweek meal too! They defrost super quick as well!

Anyhow, I know I haven’t posted in a while but I hope to start posting regularly again soon 😊#dinnerideas#food #DELICIOUS #midweekmeals #yummyrecipes#recipes #comfortfood