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Recipe skips breading eggplant for Parmesan By Sarah Lemon Updated: Oct 13, 2022 08:12 AM A A Eggplant Parmesan has eluded my family this year amid scant fruits in our home garden. To stretch smaller eggplants — namely Japanese varieties — into Parmesan, I’ve sliced the fruits lengthwise before breading and frying. But since spying this recipe, I think I’ll make a practice of slicing larger globes lengthwise, as well. The shape shift would make the casserole easier to layer and speed the breading and frying process. Or skip the breading, as suggested here. The eggplant still soaks up oil for richness and tenderness but loses some calories and also avoids much of the traditional recipe’s mess. Adding an egg to the mix firms up the finished dish in the absence of breading. Use up the season’s basil in this dish. And find more eggplant recipes in my latest food section column . Tribune News Service photo Eggplant Parmesan 1 1/2 eggplants, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices 4 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced 1/2 bunch basil Pinch of granulated sugar 2/3 cup olive oil 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 3 1/2 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced thin 2 eggs, lightly beaten 2 tablespoons butter Salt and pepper, to taste Place the eggplant slices in a colander, sprinkle with salt and let drain about 1 hour. Meanwhile, put the tomatoes and 4 to 5 basil leaves in a pan, season with salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar to taste; cook over high heat, stirring frequently, for 15 to 20 minutes. This will yield 1 cup tomato sauce. Preheat oven to 350 F. Rinse eggplant slices and pat dry. Heat a third of oil in a skillet, add a third of eggplant slices and fry until golden on both sides. Remove with a slotted spatula and drain on paper towels. Repeat twice again with remaining oil and eggplant slices. Spoon 1/4 cup tomato sauce into an 8-by-8-inch ovenproof dish and arrange a layer of slightly overlapping eggplant slices on top. Sprinkle with a little of the Parmesan, cover with a few slices of the mozzarella; sprinkle a few basil leaves and 2 tablespoons of the beaten eggs on top. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Continue making layers until all ingredients are used, ending with a layer of sliced eggplant, sprinkled Parmesan and tomato sauce. Dot with the butter and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. This dish also good served cold. Makes 4 servings. Recipe from “The Silver Spoon.”