Eggplant Parmigiana(two ways)

I had an overabundance of ready to harvest small eggplants this week and I was super excited to make eggplant parmigiana. 

There are two ways I made my eggplant.. breaded and fried, or roasted in the oven. Both are equally delicious, maybe because they are baked in between layers of homemade sauce and bubbly cheese. I make the roasted more often for two reasons, one, I am generally trying to watch what I am eating(mainly my carbs) and two, I'm lazy and shit takes too long to fry batches of eggplant.

Start by peeling and slicing your eggplant in 1/3 to 1/2 inch slices. Some people salt their eggplant to draw out moisture and then pat dry.. I have never had an issue NOT doing that. Also, if you are frying, they will absorb less, not much less, but less oil. For my roasted eggplant, I spray the pan with olive oil, arrange in a single layer, spray the tops and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pop in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes and your golden.

For frying. drench your slices in egg wash and breadcrumbs. The egg wash is eggs, salt, pepper, and a tablespoon or two of water, mixed up. The breadcrumbs are seasoned Italian breadcrumbs with salt, pepper, garlic powder. Fry in a frying pan over medium heat until soft and the other side is golden. Literally takes a minute or two per side but its the amount of batches it takes and the amount of oil that takes its toll.

Add a cup of sauce to the bottom of the pan, and working in layers, layer eggplant, grated cheese, sauce, mozzarella, eggplant, grated cheese, sauce, mozz, until you have no more eggplant for another layer.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes until bubbly. I cover it with foil for the first 15 minutes or so.

Serve immediately or whenever, this is once of those dishes that are delicious out of the oven but even more delicious the next day. It will keep in the fridge for a few days but also freezes well.

Ingredients:
Tomato Sauce
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
Olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder