½Cupfinely chopped fresh basil and parsleyplus basil leaves for serving
6Ouncesgrated mozzarella cheese
8Ouncesfresh mozzarella
48Ozmarinara sauce
Instructions
Take out a rimmed baking sheet line with paper towels and set aside
Slice your eggplants lengthwise ½ to ¼ inch thick, but leave the skin on, trimming off the outer edges and ends so only a strip of skin remains around the edge of each long slice
Its important to salt your eggplant so that some of the moisture is pulled out. This allows it to get nice and crisp when fried and then creamy when baked in the oven. Lightly season the slices all over with salt and place in a single layer on the rimmed baking sheet. Top with another layer of paper towels and repeat until all of your eggplan has been sliced. Top with a final layer of paper towels, then place another rimmed baking sheet on top and weigh it down with a heavy pot
Let eggplant sit for at least 45 minutes to an hour until it has released its excess liquid
While the eggplant drains, chop your herbs and toss with the mozzarella, ¾ cup of the parmesan cheese in a medium bowl and set aside. Reserve a few basil leaves for serving.
Next, place the panko, oregano, garlic powder, pepper, and the remaining ¾ cup parmesan in a food processor. Pulse until its very finely ground and place in a shallow dish and set aside.
Place flour in another shallow bowl and eggs in a third shallow bowl
Prepare your assembly area. Set a few baking sheets or wire racks aside for your prepared eggplant slices and line up your flour, eggs and panko mixture.
Preheat oven to 350°
Working one slice at a time, first dredge the eggplant in flour, then dip in egg, allowing excess to drip off. Coat in breadcrumbs, I find pressing down on each slice then flipping and repeating and shaking off excess works best. You want a full even coat. Then place each slice on the baking sheets or wire racks. Prepare all the slices.
Once all the eggplant has been prepared heat ⅔ cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Make sure the oil is hot before starting to cook or the eggplant will come out soggy.
Fit as many slices as will comfortably fit in the pan and cook, turning just once, until deep golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes a side.
Immediately transfer slices to paper towels and press with more paper towels to absorb the oil. Work in batches and repeat with remaining slices, adding the remaining oil and wiping out the skillet as needed.
Next prepare to assemble the eggplant parmesan. Spread 1 cup of sauce over the bottom of a 13x9" baking dish and top with a layer of eggplant slices. Drizzle 1 cup sauce over the slices and sprinkle with one-third of the cheese mixture. Add another layer of eggplant, followed by 1 cup of sauce and half of the remaining cheese mixture. Repeat with remaining slices, sauce, and cheese mixture and top with any extra cheese mixture.
Cover the dish with foil and bake until eggplant is bubbly and custardy, 45–60 minutes. You can place on a rimmed baking sheet if you are worried about overflow.
When ready remove from the oven and place the fresh mozzarella slices over the eggplant and increase the temperature to 425°. Bake uncovered for an additional 15-20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and browned in spots.
Remove from oven and allow to sit for just a few minutes and top with basil leaves just before slicing