Eggplant Parmigiana

**Mine is healthier because I do not bread or fry the Eggplant, this makes a large batch which you can either halve the ingredients or freeze what you don't use.  Store in a Freezer safe container.*

What You Will Need:

Parchment Paper or Aluminum Foil Lined Baking Sheet

Whisk

Measuring Spoons and Cup

Large Baking Pan 11x16 

Medium Size Bowl

Large Spoon

Large Plate or Platter

Sharp Knife

Cutting Board or Flat Surface

Olive Oil Spritzer-Dispenser or Pastry Brush
Ladle
Oven Mitts
Tongs 

Ingredients:

3-Medium Size Purple Eggplants 

1-32-Ounce Container of Ricotta Cheese

1-32-Ounce Bag Mozzarella Cheese Shredded 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt *I use Sea Salt*

Black Cracked Pepper

2-Eggs Large
2-Teaspoons Dried Parsley Flakes

90-Ounces of Spaghetti Sauce, about 3-Quarts *I have my home made recipe on here* Or you can use jar or canned

Preheat Oven 400-Degrees Fahrenheit 

First wash your Eggplants under cool water, pat dry with a clean cloth and set aside.

Place an Eggplant onto the cutting board or flat surface, remove the stem top.  Slice the Eggplant lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips. I leave the skins on you can peal them if you like.

Set the sliced Eggplants aside.  Take your Olive Oil Spritzer-Dispenser and lightly spray the Extra Virgin Olive Oil evenly all over the Aluminum Foil or Parchment Paper lined Baking Sheet. (Here's a photo of mine.)  If you don't have one, use a Pastry Brush dipped in the Extra Virgin Olive Oil and lightly coat the Parchment Paper or Aluminum Foil. Now lay each slice of Eggplant lengthwise onto the baking sheet, lightly Salt and Pepper each slice, spritz the top slices with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Place the Baking Sheet into your oven and bake for 10-minutes.  When time is up, put on your Oven Mitts and carefully remove Baking Sheet and put onto a heat resistant flat surface. Now use your tongs to flip over the slices of Eggplant, do one at a time. Once flipped, spritz with more Extra Virgin Olive Oil, lightly Salt and Pepper, put the Baking Sheet back into your oven for another 10-minutes. When the time is up, remove the Baking Sheet again with Oven Mitts and place on the flat surface. Taking the tongs, pick up each slice of Eggplant and place it onto the large Platter or Plate, set aside. Now repeat these steps once again using the remaining Eggplant Strips until all of the Eggplant Strips have been baked.

In between the baking of the Eggplant Strips you can prepare your Cheese Filling.  Take your medium size bowl and break in the two large Eggs, make sure not to leave any shells. Whisk the eggs, once whisked, add in the Ricotta Cheese and Dried Parsley Flakes, blend well and set aside.






















Remove and discard the used Parchment Paper or Aluminum Foil from your Baking Sheet. Re-line the Baking Sheet with whatever you were previously using and set aside. You are now going to start the layering process.  Taking your ladle, ladle out your Spaghetti Sauce covering the bottom of your Baking Pan. Now take your sliced Eggplant and lay it down on top of the Spaghetti Sauce lengthwise in the pan, continue doing this until the pan has a bottom layer of the Eggplant.  Now use your large Spoon and get a dollop, spoonful of the Cheese Mixture. Place the Cheese Mixture on each of the Eggplant slices.  When all of the Eggplant is covered, then sprinkle the Shredded Mozzarella Cheese all over the top. The Spaghetti Sauce now goes over top of the Mozzarella Cheese. Continue repeating these steps until all of the Eggplant, Cheese Mixture, Mozzarella, and sauce are used.

You should end with sprinkling the remaining amount of Mozzarella Cheese on top.  Carefully put the Baking Pan onto the lined Baking Sheet.  Now carefully place the Eggplant Parmigiana into your oven, this is heavy.  Bake for an hour.

When time is up, put on your Oven Mitts and carefully lift up and out of your oven.  Remember....this is extremely hot and it is very heavy. Place onto a heat resistant flat surface.  Let set for about 10-15 minutes before serving.  Serve with a mixed Greens Salad with Carrots, Tomatoes and Onions, topped with Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar for your dressing and Artisan Bread.  Delicious!