Let ' s talk about the sauce ! Sure you can find a decent sauce already made . But , trust me , making your own sauce allows you to combine your favorite flavor components to create your signature sauce that everyone will love , bringing you that deep sense of satisfaction .
There are a million ways to make marinara ! Typically marinara is a tomato-based sauce made with tomatoes , onion , garlic , and herbs . Canned San Marzano tomatoes are my go to . San Marzano is an Italian plum tomato and a gold star staple of Italian marinaras .
Can you use fresh tomatoes ? Absolutely . However , you would need to prepare those ahead of time in order to be sauceready . Fresh tomatoes would essentially need to be blanched , peeled , etc , etc . ( We will cover homemade sauce in a future installment ). For this recipe we are keeping things simple , yet special .
Starting with the San Marzano ’ s , I use the main staple ingredients , adding a little olive oil for extra flavoring : chili flakes for a kick and , of course , I use red wine ! Wine provides a rich depth that brings the sauce to the next level . The best part is – you don ’ t need the whole bottle for the recipe – so pour yourself a glass and let ’ s get cooking ! in while simmering , let them do their magic , and disregard before serving .
Fresh Herbs ! love fresh herbs . I mean I really , really love using fresh
I herbs ! And don ’ t get me started on edible flowers ! ( Another topic for a future installment !). If you love to cook I strongly recommend having as many herbs as possible on hand at all times . If you have a green thumb and can grow your own herbs , I humbly bow down to you . Generally speaking , keeping plants alive is not one of my strong suits . However , I have somehow kept a few from the compost heap , and I currently have healthy Rosemary and Oregano plants growing . Apparently , those two are plants that can be neglected for months and manage to stay alive ! Thankfully my mama has the greenest thumb of all . She grows herbs and edible flowers in her garden – and I suspect she grows them just for me . To this day I don ’ t think I ’ ve ever seen her use any of them herself , ever . I visit my mom ’ s garden throughout the year and snip , snip , snip .
For this recipe , we will need basil and oregano . Personally , basil is the hardest herb I ’ ve ever tried to grow . I am certain it hates me . If your thumb happens to be pink like mine instead of green like my mama ’ s , you can sub out fresh herbs for dried ones . ( TIP : 1 tablespoon of fresh is equivalent to 1 teaspoon of dried herb ).
Let ’ s get started :
Eggplant Parmesan Bake
Prep 30 minutes Cook 1 hour Feeds 8
Cheese please ! love , love , love cheese ! More cheese equals better ! ( TIP :
I Please – don ’ t skimp on the cheese ). And , spend a little extra on good quality cheese . It will make a world of difference .
For this recipe I use Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses .. As a reminder – regular Mozzarella contains a high concentration of water , which will end up puddling around your dish . So make sure to grab low-moisture , whole milk Mozzarella ( sometimes labeled “ Italian style ”). Use it not only for this dish but also for your lasagnas and pizzas . Mozzarella is the go-to anytime your recipe calls for melted cheese .
Parmesan is an easy cheese to grate , so buy a wheel or wedge and grate your own . It cooks and tastes better than the pregrated variety , and non-grated Parmesan in a wheel or wedge offers you more choice in the type and quality you ' re looking for . Happy plus – you can save the rinds and use them for some extra flavor in your sauces or soups . Just drop those puppies
Ingredients : 4-5 pounds eggplant , cut into 1 / 4 inch slices 1 / 2 cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving 1-1 / 2 cups shredded Mozzarella ( Low moisture whole milk ) 3-4 tomatoes ( vine ripened ) Sliced 1 / 4 inch thick Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 2 tablespoons fresh oregano 1 bunch fresh basil 1 cup Panko 2 teaspoons parsley Olive oil 4-5 cups Marinara
Directions :
• Preheat the oven to 400F .
• Lightly coat 2 baking sheets with oil and set aside .
• Place sliced eggplant on paper towels or clean kitchen towels and generously salt both sides . Let eggplant sit for 15 minutes to drain excess liquids and excrete some of the natural bitterness .
• Slice your tomatoes . Set aside ( Continued ...)
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