“My brother Rick has always been a fan of my grandmother’s eggplant. He would watch her crisp the eggplant in olive oil and snatch the crispy ones before they even made it to the pan! He really tries to compete against my lasagna with this dish. I mean, it’s a close second.” —Mark Bove
Prep time: 30 min; Cook Time: 30 min
Ingredients
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- 1 jar Bove’s Roasted Garlic Sauce
- 2 eggplants (medium-sized)
- ½ cup olive oil
- 8 oz. mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (lightly seasoned with salt & pepper)
- 1 cup finely ground bread crumbs
- 2 eggs, beaten lightly
- ½ cup finely chopped basil
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat: Preheat oven to 350° F.
Prep: Peel and trim eggplants, then cut into ¼ round slices. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Dredge each slice of eggplant in seasoned flour, dip in beaten egg and then in breadcrumbs, coating evenly. When oil is hot, sauté eggplant slices until they’re brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Place drained slices in a single layer in bottom of a rectangular casserole dish or flat roasting pan. Spoon ½ jar Bove’s Roasted Garlic Sauce over layer, followed by ½ of the mozzarella slices, ½ of the chopped basil and 2 Tbs. of the Parmesan cheese. Add another layer of eggplant, followed by the rest of the sauce, basil and cheeses.
Bake: Bake for ½ hour at 350° or until cheese is brown and bubbly.