Categories: dinner, italian, vegetarian

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant, medium to large with tight shiny skin
• kosher salt
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 3 eggs
• 3 oz water
• 1/2 cup panko, (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• canola oil
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup shredded provolone cheese

Directions

1. Cut the eggplant into 1/4 inch slices either crosswise (round slices) or lengthwise (long slices) depending on preference.

2. Liberally sprinkle the slices with kosher salt and lay out on a baking sheet line with paper towels (Stacking is fine as long as the stacks are equal in height).Top with another layer of paper towels , place a second baking sheet on top and then weight it down. Allow to press for 30 minutes.

3. Rinse away the salt and pat dry.

4. Mix the eggs and the water and beat them together.

5. Mix the panko and the Parmesan.

6. Season the flour with 1/4 tsp kosher salt and pepper.

7. Dredge the eggplant slices in the flour, then dip them in the egg mixture and coat them with the panko/Parmesan mixture.

8. In a heavy bottom pot or cast iron pan, heat 1/2 inch oil to 350 degrees F. Fry the slices in bathces until brown on the bottom, turn them and brown the other side, about 5 minutes total.

9. Remove to a rack and hold in a warm 250 degrees F oven untial all the slices are ready.

10. Meanwhile heat the tomato sauce. Pull the rack of fried eggplant slices out of the oven and crank the heat up to 375 degrees F.

11. To assemble, in a glass baking dish lay one eggplant slice and top with provolone, spread a very thin layer of sauce over the cheese and repeat with two more layers or until all the eggplant has been used. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake until the cheese is melted.

12. To serve, ladle a bit of sauce on the plate and place the hot stacks in it.

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