Eggplant Parmesan- quick, easy and tasty

Eggplant parm is quick, easy and really really tasty. This is an especially easy recipe and the only time I ever use sauce from a jar. I like to feature the eggplant in the dish and don't want to overpower it with sauce, so cheating and using a good quality marinara from a jar is okay for this recipe. I served the eggplant parm tonight with a mixed green salad and a white balsamic dressing and some crusty italian bread and it made a great meatless, yet filling meal. Here is a step by step process for making Eggplant Parmesan:

Ingredients:(Serves 4)

2 Small eggplant-peeled and sliced
1 Jar good quality marinara sauce- I used Emeril's
2 Eggs
3 TBSP milk
2 Cups Italian bread crumbs
1/2 Cup olive oil
1- 8 Oz. Package finely shredded mozzarella
2 TBSP grated parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel eggplant and slice into 3/8" slices. (Some people like to leave the skin on but I don't.)

Sliced eggplant

Peeled eggplant

Cover the bottom of a 9"x9" glass baking dish with marinara sauce, about 1/4" deep. 

Crack 2 eggs into a flat pan. Add the milk and whisk together. Add some of the Italian bread crumbs to another flat pan. Replenish as required.

Italian bread crumbs and egg and milk mixture

Dredge the eggplant slices a few at a time in the milk and egg mixture until coated on all sides, and transfer slices to the italian breadcrumbs. Turn and dredge slices until evenly coated with the bread crumbs. Set aside on a paper towel. 

Pour olive oil into a large skillet and place on a burner on medium high. Fry the breaded eggplant slices in the hot oil, a few at a time, until golden brown and tender. Don't let the oil get too hot. The eggplant should just sizzle a little while cooking.When slices are done use a tongs and lay on the marinara in the 9x9" dish. Repeat until the pan has a single layer of eggplant slices covering the bottom as in the photo below.

First layer of eggplant on the marinara

Continue frying eggplant slices and add another layer over the first layer of slices until you have a double layer filling the dish. Pour more marinara over the second layer of slices and brush it around until evenly coated. I ended up using just a little more than half of the 25 Oz. jar of marinara. Don't use too much sauce or the dish will get soupy. 

Cover the top of the dish with enough of the finely shredded mozzarella to make a 1/4" layer of cheese. Spread the parmesan cheese over the top of the mozzarella so it looks like this:

Bake in the 350 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes, or until the dish is hot and bubbly and the cheese has melted and has just begin to brown. Let sit for at least 5 minutes before serving. To make a larger batch use 2-3 large eggplant. Use a larger baking dish and adjust sauce and cheese as needed.