Eggplant Parmesan was something I never appreciated as a kid, but now it is a dish of my mother’s that I savor. Well, maybe the more appropriate term is more like devour… but this dish is delicious just the same! It is a great alternative to chicken Parmesan (which is made the exact same way, but with a pounded chicken breast instead of a slice of eggplant). This is also a great vegetarian dish and the breading can also be substituted for gluten free ingredients, which I will show you in the recipe below. Hope you enjoy this yummy dish, and try not to eat the whole pan!

Step 1: Prep 2 eggplants by peeling the purple skin off and then slicing it down into about 1/2 inch thick slices.

Step 2: Arrange the sliced eggplant into a shallow dish stacking the slices on top of each other if necessary. You may need to use two dishes to fit all the slices from both eggplants (I used two pie plates).

Step 3: Pour milk over the eggplant slices enough to just about cover them. Let the eggplant soak in the milk for 1-3 hours (the longer the better). This will help mellow some of the bitterness.

Step 4: Once the eggplant is done soaking, fill one bowl with some all-purpose flour (or Gluten free all-purpose flour), another bowl with about 4 whipped eggs, and a third bowl with Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (or crushed corn flakes for a gluten free version. Line the three bowls up in this order: Flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs. Then spread some tomato sauce into the bottom of two baking pans like you see in the picture… just enough to coat the bottom of it to keep the eggplant from sticking. Once you have your bowls lined up use a fork to stab a slice of eggplant and dip first in the flour and coat all sides of the eggplant slice, then dip into the eggs, then dip into the breadcrumbs and set on a plate. Repeat the process until all the eggplant slices are coated.

Step 5: Heat a large skillet over meadium heat with a fairly generous amount of canola or olive oil coating the bottom of the skillet. Place 4-5 slices of eggplant in the pan and brown both sides (about 1 minutes or so per side).

Step 6: Remove browned eggplant slices and place onto several sheets of paper towel to soak up some of the oil. Pat some of the excess oil from the top and let them cool off. Repeat the frying and paper towel process until all the slices are done.

Step 7: Place the sliced eggplant in the baking pans with the sauce from earlier. Layer them on top of each other as shown in the photo (should make about 2 layers per pan).

Step 8: Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the eggplant slices and then cover each pan with foil. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Step 9: Meanwhile, grate some provolone cheese (probably about 1/2 lb.). Set the cheese aside in a bowl or on a plate and try not to eat it all.

Step 10: The last 5 minutes of baking, sprinkle on the provolone, and be generous… this is the best part! Make it ooey and gooey…then pop the pans back in the oven for the last 5 minutes of baking time and don’t take it out until all that cheese is melted all over!

Voila! You now have an amazingly delicious dinner to serve up to your family, for company, or to even eat all by yourself. Yes, once you taste this you will realize why its possible to think of high jacking the eggplant and running into a corner somewhere and eating it all by yourself! It pairs nice with just a simple salad. Enjoy!