Sunday Eggplant Parmesan

5 from 1 vote

A family favorite that is usually reserved for special occasions. Bright marinara sauce and crispy fried eggplant are served on top of a decadent mushroom and sundried tomato cream sauce to make a wonderfully balanced dish!

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Total Time1 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian, Italian-American

Servings: Adults

Calories: 1703kcal

Author: Spencer Klickman

Equipment

Baking Sheet with Wire Rack
Large Stainless Steel or Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

Eggplant

1 Medium Eggplant Approx. 1 lb., 2 oz., peeled and thinly sliced, about ¼” thick, from top to bottom (not across)
Kosher Salt
Neutral Oil
3 Eggs Beaten
2-3 C Breadcrumbs/Panko/Cornflake Crumbs
¼ C Parmesan Grated
1 C Marinara Sauce
⅓ C Parmesan or Pecorino Romano Grated

Mushroom and Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce

2 Tablespoons Neutral Oil
2 Shallots Finely Minced
⅓ Cup Julienned Sun-Dried Tomatoes Rough chopped (reserving 1 Tbsp. of the packing oil)
8 oz. Cremini Mushrooms Thinly Sliced
4 oz. Fresh Spinach About 2 -3 handfuls, Rough Chopped
4 Tablespoons Pesto
2 Cups Heavy Cream
1 Cup Dry White Wine
2 Cup Parmesan Grated
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
Salt & pepper to taste

Pasta

1 lb. Bucatini Pasta Cooked according to package directions (Spaghetti or linguini are good substitutes)

Instructions

Eggplant

Peel and slice one eggplant, top to bottom (not across), as thinly as possible. The slices will be about ¼ to ½-inch thick. Place on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet and moderately cover both sides with kosher salt. Let rest for 30-minutes to 1-hour to draw out excess moisture. Squeeze the remaining moisture out with a kitchen towel or paper towel.
While eggplant is resting, prepare the dredging station. Mix breadcrumbs, several pinches of kosher salt and grated parmesan in a wide, shallow bowl or small casserole dish. Beat the eggs in a similar sized dish.
Preheat a heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat and add enough oil to cover ⅛ to ¼-inch of the pan. Using the dry hand, wet hand method, dredge the eggplant slices in the egg wash, then press into the breadcrumbs to coat evenly. Add the breaded eggplant in batches to the skillet and fry for approx. 5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet and salt immediately. Allow to cool.
Once cool, spoon a few teaspoons of marinara sauce over each slice of eggplant, and cover with the grated pecorino romano cheese. Place eggplant under a broiler on low for 2 to 3 minutes until cheese is melted. Transfer eggplant to a 200*F oven to keep warm while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Mushroom and Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce

Heat a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to the pan and add the sliced mushrooms in a single layer. Sear and leave undisturbed for several minutes until some color begins to form. Flip and sear an additional minute. Add the shallots to the pan and sauté for an additional 2 - 3 minutes, stirring until soft. Add the sun dried tomatoes and the packing oil to the pan, and stir. Add the spinach and cook for 2 minutes until wilted. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil and simmer until reduced by about 25%, approximately 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the pesto and heavy cream, stirring to incorporate. Add the parmesan cheese a handful at a time, stirring and melting in between additions. Finish the sauce by adding the unsalted butter and simmering for an additional 1 - 2 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Add the pasta to the mushroom cream sauce and stir to coat evenly.

Assembly And Plating

Using tongs, add the pasta with cream sauce to a plate. Place a teaspoon or two of the marinara sauce on the top of the noodles, and then add two pieces of the fried eggplant on top. Sprinkle with minced parsley and serve warm.

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