New York Style Eggplant Parm

Ingredients

1 large eggplant

1 cup AP flour

4 eggs

2 cups plain breadcrumbs

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Garlic powder, salt, black pepper

Tomato sauce (I like to use Don Pepino!)

16 oz log of fresh mozzarella, sliced

1 loaf crusty Italian bread

Neutral oil for frying such as avocado or canola oil

Instructions

Slice your eggplant to 1/4 inch rounds and spread out on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle eggplant generously with salt on both sides and let rest for 10-15 minutes to allow liquids to sweat out.

In the meantime place your flour in a shallow bowl and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Whisk your eggs and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add breadcrumbs to a shallow bowl and season with basil, oregano, parmesan, salt, pepper, and garlic. Set up a station with eggplant, flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs for easy assembly.

Heat 2 inches of oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat until it sizzles when you dip a test eggplant in the oil.

Blot your eggplant with paper towels to remove excess moisture and dip first in flour, then eggs, then breadcrumbs. Be sure to thoroughly coat the eggplant with each step. I work in batches, usually breading 3-4 at a time while the previous batch is frying. Fry for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and transfer to a paper towel lined platter.

Slice your bread lengthwise, drizzle with olive oil, and toast in a cast iron pan or under the broiler until golden brown. Place your bread on a cookie sheet and smear with tomato sauce. Add a layer of eggplant, then more sauce, then a layer of mozzarella cheese and broil as an open face sandwich for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted and starting to brown. Put the two open face sandwiches together to form a giant eggplant sub and slice into individual portions.

Somm Wine Pairing: I love an easy drinking Italian red wine with this meal, preferably a Sangiovese! I drank Lava Cap Sangiovese from the Sierra Foothills, California as I recipe tested this and it was a match made in heaven.