This recipe makes more marinara than you need. We use what we need and freeze the leftover sauce. It is delicious.
Ingredients
Marinara
1/4C Olive oil
1 head Garlic, cloves crushed
1ea Large red onion, chopped
3ea Oil-packed anchovy fillets (optional)
1/2t Crushed red pepper flakes
1T Tomato paste
1/4C Dry white wine
2ea 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes
1/4C Basil leaves, torn
1/2t Dried oregano
Kosher salt
Eggplant and Assembly
2lb Italian eggplants (about 2 medium), peeled, sliced lengthwise ½–¾ inch thick
Kosher salt
1-1/2C Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
3/4t Dried oregano
1/2t Freshly ground black pepper
3/4C Finely grated Parmesan, divided
3/4C AP flour
3ea Large eggs, beaten to blend
2/3C Olive oil
1/4C Finely chopped basil and parsley, plus basil leaves for serving
2/3C Low-moisture mozzarella, grated (about 1⅓ cups)
1/2C Fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
Marinara
Preheat oven to 350°.
Heat oil in a large heavy ovenproof pot over medium.
Cook garlic, stirring often, until golden, about 4 minutes.
Add onion, anchovies (if using), and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until slightly darkened, about 2 minutes.
Add wine, bring to a boil, and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 1 minute.
Add tomatoes, breaking up with your hands, and their juices;
Add basil and oregano and stir to combine.
Swirl 1½ cups water into one tomato can, then the other, to rinse, and add to pot; Season with salt.
Transfer pot to oven; roast sauce, stirring halfway through, until thick and tomatoes are browned on top and around edges of pot, 2–2½ hours.
Let sauce cool slightly.
Taste and season with salt.
- Do Ahead: Sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.
Lightly season eggplant slices all over with salt; place in a single layer on several layers of paper towels inside a rimmed baking sheet.
Top with another layer of paper towels and more slices;
Repeat as needed.
Top with a final layer of paper towels, then another rimmed baking sheet;
Weigh down with a heavy pot.
Let eggplant sit until it has released excess liquid, 2 hours. This step gives the eggplant a creamy texture when baked.
Meanwhile, pulse panko, oregano, pepper, and 1/3C Parmesan in a food processor until very finely ground.
Transfer to a shallow bowl.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Place flour in another shallow bowl and eggs in a third shallow bowl.
Working one at a time, dredge eggplant slices in flour, then dip in egg, allowing excess to drip off.
Coat in breadcrumbs, packing all around, then shaking off excess.
Place on wire racks.
Heat drizzle of oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high.
Cook as many eggplant slices as will comfortably fit in pan, turning once, until deep golden, about 5 minutes.
Transfer to a rack to drain
Working in batches, repeat with remaining slices, adding remaining ⅔ cup oil and wiping out skillet as needed.
Let cool.
Taste and season with more salt if needed.
Toss chopped herbs, low-moisture mozzarella, and remaining Parmesan in a medium bowl.
Spread 1 cup sauce over the bottom of a 13×9″ baking pan; top with a layer of eggplant slices (trim as needed).
Drizzle 1 cup sauce over and sprinkle with 1/2 of cheese mixture.
Add another layer of eggplant, followed by 1 cup sauce and half of remaining cheese mixture.
Repeat layers with remaining slices, sauce, and cheese mixture.
Cover with foil and bake on a rimmed baking sheet until eggplant is custardy, 45–60 minutes.
Remove from oven and arrange fresh mozzarella over eggplant.
Increase oven temperature to 425° and bake, uncovered, until cheese is bubbling and browned in spots, 15–20 minutes longer.
Let rest 30 minutes.
Top with basil leaves just before slicing.
Do Ahead: Eggplant Parmesan can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool; cover with foil and chill. Reheat in a 350° oven, uncovering halfway through, until bubbling gently at edges.
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