Photo: Leigh Loftus
In life and in cooking, there is a saying: you win some you lose some. After I made this easy baked eggplant Parmesan I realized that there was actually no Parmesan to speak of in the recipe. In fact, the dish is often misconstrued to be from Parma, a city in Northern Italy, when it’s really a dish with Southern Italy roots.
I’ve never been to Italy, but I imagine that the origins of a lot of food we often consider Italian is not authentic. I suspect that pizza in Italy looks nothing like my Roasted Acorn Squash and Gorgonzola Pizza or my perfect Friday Night Spinach & Ricotta Pizza.
Photo: Leigh Loftus
That’s one reason that I didn’t feel bad making a non-traditional eggplant parmigiana. Baked, not fried, these eggplant slices aren’t coated in breadcrumbs but rather sprinked with them prior to baking. You can enjoy a crispy texture for fewer calories without sacrificing taste. I’m sure no one in Parma (or elsewhere) will ever know the difference.
Photo: Leigh Loftus
- 1 (1-pound) eggplant, peeled and cut into ¼-inch slices
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups tomato sauce
- ¾ cup shredded skim-milk mozzarella cheese
- (Optional): Set the eggplant in a single layer on paper towels and sprinkle with the salt, cover with more paper towels. Let stand 30 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 2 baking sheets and an 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick spray. Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on the baking sheets. Bake until tender, 15-20 minutes.
- Spread one-fourth of the tomato sauce in the baking dish. Top with some of the eggplant slices in a single layer, slightly overlapping if necessary. Sprinkle with one-third of the bread crumbs, one-fourth of the cheese and another one-fourth of the sauce. Repeat the layers, finishing with the cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake until heated through and bubbling, 30-40 minutes. Remove the foil, increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and bake until the top is slightly crisp, about 15 minutes longer. Serve hot or warm.
19 Comments
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May 29, 2011 at 12:19 am[…] recently when I told you about the fabulous Eggplant Parmesan that I made using Maris’ awesome (and healthier!) recipe. It was so good that I bought more eggplant at the farmers market. I also picked up some green […]
Rachel
September 14, 2009 at 9:29 pmLooks wonderful!
elra
September 14, 2009 at 5:17 pmLove eggplant to cook this way, Classic and delicious!
Sarah Caron
September 14, 2009 at 4:00 pmSounds great, Maris! Eggplant has been on my list of things to make this summer and since this one is so easy without the frying (and associated cleanup), it might just make this week’s rotation. THANKS!!!
Juliana
September 14, 2009 at 3:34 pmLove your recipe…it is simple and looks delicious…will definitely try it 🙂
kat
September 14, 2009 at 9:49 amI love eggplant parm but just can’t get the hubs to eat those eggplants
Sophie
September 14, 2009 at 3:47 amI love aubergines parmigiani!!
Your version looks excellent & so tasty!!
This is a good recipe o use up fresh aubergines from my father’s garden!!
Christina
September 14, 2009 at 1:04 amEggplant parm is my fav meal ever. I’ll have to try your version!
Eralda
September 14, 2009 at 12:06 amI love anything with eggplant in it. This looks delicious, even without the parmigiano. Yummy!
Kerstin
September 13, 2009 at 11:42 pmI love eggplant – this looks so good! I usually get chicken parm, but I should mix it up!
Sues
September 13, 2009 at 10:28 pmEggplant parm is pretty high on my list of favorite foods. That looks delicious!
mandy
September 13, 2009 at 8:35 pmI am putting this on my list to make one night this week. It sounds delicious.
grace
September 13, 2009 at 3:55 pmi think baked is the way to go–forget this tradition and authenticity business. delightful dish, maris!
Andrew
September 13, 2009 at 12:09 pmThis would be a home run with an aromatic Traminer from Alto Adige…or maybe a peppery plummy Nero D’Avola.
The Consummate Hostess
September 13, 2009 at 10:57 amThis looks aboslutely wonderful, can’t wait to give it a try!
kate
September 13, 2009 at 9:49 amOne dish I really miss from being lactose intolerant in Eggplant Parm- regardless of origin. I just can’t manage all that cheese, but I have done individual style renditions with a slice of grilled eggplant topped with a slice of tomato and a sprinkle of goat cheese and basil. Not the same, but with good imagination, it works OK.
VeggieGirl
September 13, 2009 at 8:25 amYou MUST get to Italy if you can – it’s so lovely to visit!! Hit up Rome and Venice, especially 🙂
Love your variation of the classic eggplant parmigiana dish!!
Daryl
September 13, 2009 at 8:15 amLooks simple to make and absolutely delicious to eat. I love eggplant and it is a very healthy veg.