from Molly Beverly
Serves 4.
When the harvest is on and the eggplant are coming in by the bushel, I take an afternoon to freeze a big batch of this for my winter stock of instant dinners. For an even easier version, substitute ready-made Italian tomato sauce.
Wine Tomato Sauce
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh oregano or basil OR 1 Tablespoon dried
3 cloves garlic finely minced
1/4 teaspoon fennel seed
Salt and pepper to taste
Water to thin
1 medium eggplant
vegetable oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
Slice eggplant 1/2 inch thick. Lightly brush both sides of eggplant slices with vegetable oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.
For sauce: In a saucepan mix together tomato paste, olive oil, wine, herbs, garlic and fennel. Add enough water to make a medium bodied sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes. Taste, add salt and pepper, and more herbs if desired. Top each slice of eggplant with a slice of mozzarella, a couple tablespoonfuls of sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Return to oven and heat until bubbly, about 10 minutes.
FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS: Bake eggplant as above, then lay out slices on foil. Cover with mozzarella cheese, sauce, and Parmesan. Wrap airtight and freeze. To use place frozen Eggplant Parmesan in a 350° oven for 20 minutes or until bubbly.
I peel and slice my eggplant and lightly salt the slices to extract some of the juice because it can be bitter. I fry my eggplant and then layer it with sauce and cheese and then bake in the oven. Eggplant Parmesan is one of the many recipes my Italian mother in law taught me. Thank you(Mama)Ardismae Leverone RIP.